


The Black Skye

by Cerberus_Spectre



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Amnesia, Awesome Maria Hill, BAMF Maria Hill, BAMF Skye | Daisy Johnson, Black Sky, F/F, Hacker Skye | Daisy Johnson, Maria Hill takes care of Skye, Minor Phil Coulson/Melinda May, Natasha Romanov Is Not A Robot, Nick Fury is Not Amused, Protective Melinda May, Protective Natasha Romanov, Skye has a lot of layers, Skye | Daisy Johnson Has Issues, Skye | Daisy Johnson's Superpowers, Skye | Daisy Johnson-centric, temporary major character death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-11
Updated: 2018-11-13
Packaged: 2019-07-11 00:23:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 32,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15960734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cerberus_Spectre/pseuds/Cerberus_Spectre
Summary: What if Skye knew where she came from. Knew her name, and her birthday. What if she knew who her parents were, and that they didn't give her up but she was lost in the system anyway.Maybe if Skye was born an Inhuman, ran away when she was 14 years old and became one of the best and most wanted hacker in the world. And due to her bloodline, she became highly sought after to those who knew about her birthright.orJust the fic where a series of events lead up to Skye becoming the Black Sky and gets recovered by Shield, becomes a badass little puppy that's trained by Maria Hill and Natasha Romanoff right before the events of Agents of Shield starts.The same story no one asked for, but I'm writing anyway. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯





	1. Superhero (Not A)

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

New York city is the city that never sleeps. It was exhausting, exhilarating and humbling all at the same time. Fast paced and never stopping, always evolving. There were so many things Skye Johnson could say about it as she stood on the ledge of a ten story building at ten at night. The time the parties started when the suits went home and the skirts came out.

It was in the middle of the summer, but it was never too hot in New York. It was warm, always warm, comfortably so. Well now, seeing as the sun finally set a few hours ago. It was thankfully no longer dry and humid. Skye wore nothing but a pair of low crotch sweats, her well worn Nike running shoes and a tank top with the sides cut out all the way down to her waist.

She was high up enough that the breeze was a bit stronger, and cooler but it made her feel alive. Her city brought her to life, especially on nights like this when she was restless. Her mind plagued with memories as woman as young as her had no business carrying.

“ Hey!”

Skye startled and jumped back off the ledge, the roofs gravel crunching loudly beneath her feet. She whirled around to face the speaker of the authoritative voice and winced. Two NYPD officers stood behind her, both of them shining a flashlight on her. They were getting wiser on her, and the other traceurs and freerunners—by not using their sirens when someone about people running on their roofs.

The female cop edged forward, “Hey, kid, you lost or somethin'? What are you doing up here, huh?”

Skye rolled her eyes internally, of course with her short stature they would think she was no older than eighteen (twenty, thank you very much!), it was a common ego boost for her. She thought about entertaining them for a while, to stall for a few seconds since they were blocking her only known exit. She hadn't planned on running into trouble tonight, she just wanted to get the memories out of her head by tiring herself out.

“ You a jumper, kid?” the man asked, hand already on his radio. He was ready to call in the NYPD jumper squad, and Skye just looked at him and shook her head.

“ No...not tonight, Officer.”

“ Kid—!  _ Shit! _ ”

Skye dashed to the right and began to run and as she had hoped, both of the officers followed after her. Skye, to put it quite simply, ran in a complete circle until she was back at the entrance of the staircase. She felt fingers brushing her upper arms as she dashed between the closing door and the wall, but her small figure proved to be too fast for them.

She heard their thundering footsteps and jingling keys behind her, but Skye has been doing this since she was fourteen years old. She did several lazy vaults over the guard rails to put more distance between them and herself. Going down the flight of stairs at a breakneck speed was trippy and she nearly skipped a few steps in her excitement and haste.

She was a full level below the pursuing NYPD Officers by the time Skye exited the building and nearly knocked over a couple taking a late night stroll. The guy yelled at her, but her heart was pumping so loudly she didn't hear shit he said. Skye was halfway around the corner when she heard the buildings metal door slam against the wall. She kept running until she was able to slow down into a slow walk and blend in with the night crowd.

Skye laughed to herself,  _ that was close... _ she expertly avoided the people walking around her, using her size to her advantage. She thought about finding another rooftop to hang around but thought better of it, one night of excitement was enough for her and now she was a little hungry, figuring a trip to Taco Bell before going home to finish her uneventful night.

As Skye rounded another corner, spotting her refurbished midnight blue 1970 SS Chevy Chevelle gleaming beneath a dim streetlight. It was a gift from a friend from...from a long time ago. Skye started walking a little awkwardly as she fished for her keys in her deep pockets.

“ Get the hell away from me!”

“ Aw c'mon baby, don't be like that, we just wanna buy you a drink!”

“ I said—” a yelp had Skye's head snapping up immediately, spinning around in place trying to place where those voices were coming from. She could hear scuffling and muffled screaming, and multiple men laughing but she just couldn't  _ see  _ them. The young traceur stopped suddenly when she saw movement across the street, she didn't really see any people but she knew how crime in New York worked. Stick to the shadows, and people will keep walking. And that was exactly what was happening.

Without thinking, Skye broke out into a dead sprint across the street. The group moved behind a dumpster and for a brief moment, the woman in distress managed to get free to swear at them and clock one of the dudes. Skye stepped up on a half broken crate and used her momentum to haul herself over the trash can with as much noise as she could. She brought both of her legs between her arms with her feet pressed together.

She caught the first guy by surprised and followed him down with both feet planted on his chin. He was out like a light, but the same couldn't be said for the second guy. Skye did another roll to avoid him and while he was distracted with her, the red haired woman quickly got her purse and pulled out her phone to call the police. Giving the operator as much information as she could, and telling them to hurry the hell up.

She looked up just in time to see the small brunette pick a broken 2x4 and hit the second man in the knees, before knocking him unconscious like his friend.

She watched as the smaller woman got up from the ground and tossed the wood aside, dusting off her hands as if she didn't just save her skin. The woman opened her mouth to thank her, to ask if she was alright but with the sirens in the distance—closer than either of them would've expected, her rescuer was gone and around the corner just as a patrol car came into the other end of the entrance.

The woman looked at the opposite end when she heard an engine roar to life and tires screaming on the pavement. Steely light brown eyes burned into her memory. She got herself to her feet as a female cop approached her quickly, asking if she was alright while her male partner began cuffing her attackers none too gently.

MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU

_ Elsewhere... _

Skye threw away her take out trash and shut down her home, making sure all the doors and her garage doors were locked for the second time before she shut off the lights and trudged upstairs to the loft area. Her place wasn't anything to brag about really, it was a real fixer upper. A favor from another friend.

After she ran away from her last foster home when she was fourteen. The streets became her life. Skye didn't really know where to go, or who to go to. Well, until she started hacking—it landed her in a bit of trouble with homeland security. But instead of tossing her in a cell and throwing away the key, she met a woman. A very stubborn and tenacious woman; Dinah Madani. It was a 'I scratch your back, and you scratch my back' type of deal she found herself in.

Skye was one of the top hackers in the world—so Dinah Madani became her handler and to keep herself out of jail—she helped Homeland security when they needed her. She didn't have to follow the law, national or international, and in return? Aside from turning the other cheek?

Well, they hooked her up with a Realtor that hooked her up with this piece of shit place. The same piece of shit place that Skye ultimately fell in love with overtime...after some good elbow grease and patience.

It was a place that was off the beaten path in the warehouse district, a good distance from anywhere else unless it was shady and it was hazardous to walk around it alone during the day and especially at night. It had a functional ground floor level with a fully equipped five spaced garage for her car and motorcycle because it used to belong to some old biker gang or sketchy chop shop. On the other side of her garage was her beloved van, the one she used to live in for a whole year. Her pride and joy.

Upstairs, really, is what took the cake when it came to being fixed. It took her three months to strip everything and to repaint the walls a grayish color, lay down some easy DIY wood. With the checks the Homeland was giving her on the low, Skye was able to afford some newer furniture for herself, and appliances to give the place a better look. Not that she ever had many visitors.

She was still adding to it, but it was her home and she loved it as such.

Skye set her alarm and checked in for the night, her last thoughts were on the woman she saved earlier—hoping that she wouldn't let tonight taint her view on New York. Because it truly was the most beautiful city in the world.

> **MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**
> 
> **MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**


	2. Pieces

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

Skye woke up early the next morning to her pillow buzzing. It took her a couple of minutes to realize that her phone was underneath it and that someone was calling her. It couldn't have been too many people seeing as Skye kept her inner circle fairly small and she didn't work with too many people these days. If ever. Her trust issues ran a little deep, even she could admit to that much.

She answered the call and rolled over, Skye didn't even have to look at the caller ID to know who would dare call her this early. Skye put it on speaker and tossed her iPhone aside as she threw one arm over her eyes, “Almost a year, Madani, and you're still doing wake up calls before eight in the morning...please tell me you have a good reason?”

“ _ Meet me at our diner in thirty minutes, it's important.” _

Skye groaned, “What am I hack—”

“ _ Thirty minutes, Cipher.”  _ click.

“ Wow. Rude much?” but Skye was up and out of her bed in a second, already connecting her phone to her surround sound speakers around her home and playing some Queen. Dinah had used her alias and Skye could only count a handful of times that it's ever happened since knowing the Homeland Agent. Skye took a shower and dressed in some gray sweatpants, a pair of her ratty old converse and a black hoodie and a beanie when she saw that it was raining outside.

Skye jumped into her Chevy Chevelle to go meet Dinah and she hoped the older woman had already ordered their usual breakfast because Skye was starving, like always.

MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU

By the time Skye arrived to the little hole in wall diner that was her and Dinah's usual secret meeting place, the heavy rain turned into a light drizzle. Skye parked across the street, spotting Dinah's black 1968 Mustang not too far away. Out of habit from being around Dinah too long, Skye used her mirrors to check the area around her before she pulled her Heckler and Koch P30L pistol from her glove compartment and tucked it away behind her back.

A long time ago, she wasn't much of a violent person preferring to tuck tail and run when shit got hard. She was good at running, and she could do it in style as a bonus. But ever since Dinah Madani became her handler, the woman  _ insisted  _ (ordered Skye within an inch of her life) to get some training in. Dinah, it seemed, saw the good in everyone—and she had trust issues as well. It was something they could both relate to.

She trained Skye herself, hand to hand combat and weapons training. It wasn't often that they got to train, but Dinah was able to teach her the basics, and Skye appreciated them even if she was still a runner when it came down to it.

But it was nice...and new for Skye. To have someone that gave a shit about her, of course it had to be a damned government suit but she was pretty sure Dinah Madani wasn't like any damned government suit she's ever met in her freaking life. Not after the past couple of months they had.

Skye still couldn't believe she had Frank Castle in her phone book. The fucking Punisher. The most deadliest man walking the planet. She'd been helping Dinah track the dude but whoever he was with was a pretty good hacker, but really? Wasn't too much of match for Cipher—the same Cipher that shut down Detroit city two years ago.

Skye thought Dinah was all about taking him out and getting another promotion. Because that's how the government worked. Right?

Skye didn't realize how wrong she was after she figured out that Dinah wasn't trying to kill  _ him _ . But her pretty boy boyfriend instead—it was a mess with bullets flying all over the place. It was a lot of drama, a lot of dead bodies—but Frank Castle was running around a free man now.

And Dinah's boyfriend? Her ex-boyfriend. Her  _ dead  _ ex-boyfriend (he wasn't really dead, but everyone liked to think so) was rotting away somewhere. Skye never really liked the guy and thankfully she's only met him one time. But it was one time too many. He creeped her out and reminded her why she didn't really like people too much, especially the rich kind.

The bullet wound on her back shoulder blade was enough to vouch that Billy Russo was a piece of shit human being.  _ Fucking prick. _

It was the one time that Skye was trying to physically have Madani's back when she realized that the Agent was going to the standoff between Russo and Castle. The moment Madani went down, so did Skye. She couldn't exactly remember too much after that, but everyone survived but not unscathed.

Skye subconsciously rolled her shoulder as she spotted the Homeland Agent dressed casually in the corner and she was thoroughly disappointed to discover that the table was empty.  _ All business then...cool. _

Skye sat down with a heavy sigh and a tired smile, “So, what up? What's so important you couldn't tell me over the phone? The same phone I've protected personally. Or y'know, you could've come by. You have a freakin' key, Madani.”

“ It was too risky,” Dinah didn't return her smile, and Skye couldn't help but look at the woman's head—the hole that should've been there but miraculously missed, “I had some interesting visitors this morning.”

“ Oh.”

“ Mmm.”

“ Were they like you?”

Dinah nodded slowly, eyes darting around, “Yeah, they were like me...but not as fun.”

Skye scoffed, “You got me shot, you're a little  _ too  _ fun, Madani.”

Dinah chose to ignore that jab, “I'm still plugging in the leaks at my office...but apparently Russo had better connections than I anticipated. And contingency plans in case any of this ever blew up in his face.”

“ So, you're saying this guy...he snitched?”

“ Yeah.” Dinah worried her bottom lip gently, looking at the younger woman sitting across from her openly. The young woman who was undoubtedly now her friend—someone she trusted. An unlikely pair they were, but here they were.

“But I'm protected, they can't touch me—” Skye stopped, sighing, she had _almost_ about forgot the red lines she's crossed the past few months for the woman sitting across from her without hesitation. Too many red lines to just overlook, “But Homeland can't turn away from this one...can they?”

“ No. I'm sorry, Skye—”

Skye snorted, “Don't be...if I didn't wanna do it, I wouldn't have done it.”

“ I know, but...” Dinah smiled to herself, though it was more like a grimace, “I'm still sorry.”

Skye nodded, accepting her apology, “Who came by?”

“ S.H.I.E.L.D.”

Skye wasn't surprised...she and S.H.I.E.L.D., well...they had history together. And not the good kind. They had been on her ass when Homeland picked her up...and it wasn't by accident either. Dinah didn't find out  _ that _ bit of information until later when they were neck deep in bodies, bullets and lies.

“ Homeland can't turn a blind eye to Cipher anymore...as of right now, you're a cyber-terrorist again.”

“ Welcome to my life,” Skye said sarcastically, rubbing her face with both of her hands, “I knew this wasn't gonna last but I laid roots anyway. I just...I guess I just thought that it would last a little while longer than it did.”

“ I know...and I wish there was more that I could do—”

Skye looked up, seeing the sadness in Dinah's eyes and she forced a smile back on her face but the older woman saw right through it. She always could. “You being here and warning me is enough...how much time do I have?”

“ You have less than 18 hours to get the hell out of this city. Skye, S.H.I.E.L.D. Isn't playing around anymore. They...they put a kill order on you.”

Skye sighed heavily, “My place...and all my stuff...I have a go bag ready, just in case but...I got too damn comfortable.”

Dinah shook her head, “If it would be alright with you, Skye...I can keep up your home.”

Skye looked up, surprised and wary, “What? But your place...?”

“ My own apartment it's...tainted with memories of Russo, memories I want to forget. And I would rather just stay off the grid for a while.”

“ You'd do that? For me?”

“ Skye. I'm risking my entire career for you right now. You risked your life for me just two months ago. I'd say we're friends enough to do this, right?”

“ Right.”

“ You're a good kid, Skye.”

“ No. I'm not.”

“ You are to me.”

“ Then you're an idiot.”

Dinah laughed softly, eyes closing briefly, but she didn't say anything more and Skye was grateful. She wasn't sure if she could handle that conversation today. Or ever.

Skye stared down at her laced fingers on the table, lips pressed tightly with her eyes closed just as tight. She was only 20 years old and she was feeling as if she was hitting 35 or something—the stress of the reality around her threatening to suffocate her. She didn't wanna leave, but she had to. She didn't have a choice.

She knew it was stupid of her to settle down in New York city after she let Homeland catch her to keep S.H.I.E.L.D. from executing her on the spot. There was always a kill order for her, that wasn't anything new to her.

Unlike Homeland, Skye had gotten a number of S.H.I.E.L.D. Undercover Agents killed—she knew what they wanted. Her head on a silver platter. Too bad for them though that Cipher was always one step ahead of them.

But she hadn't meant to get comfortable in this city. She had only intended to stay for a little while before going back underground, but Dinah had taken a shine to her. Actually cared for her and the foster kid inside of her, that Skye had buried deep down when she was 14 resurfaced and ate it all up.

She didn't see Dinah as a mother but more like an older sister or something. She saw her as family not that she'd ever let the Agent know that. But she took a bullet for her—Skye was positive at this point she didn't need to say anything about it at all.

She hadn't realized their table was starting to shake until a hand was placed over both of hers. Skye looked up at Dinah with watery eyes despite herself, and caught her emotions quickly, “I need to go, Dinah.”

“ Yeah. Yeah, you do...”

“ My van...it's not fixed up yet...I was trying to update it and I guess I can't now, huh?”

“ I can have Frank do it...he has a lot of free time these days.” Dinah tried to joke but it fell flat between them, plus Skye really didn't want to think about Frank and Dinah's strange friendship they had going on now. She was still disturbed by their energy when they were in the same room.

“ Take your bike, Skye. It's faster and S.H.I.E.L.D. hasn't tagged it yet.”

Skye nodded, exhaling deeply, “I'll um...you have a key, just make yourself at home.”

“ Okay.”

“ And don't let Frank tear up my shit okay...and don't do anything in my bed.”

Dinah laughed lightly, squeezing Skye's hands before she let go, “Keep in touch, Skye. And whatever you do...try not to level whatever city you end up in. Alright?”

“ No promises. Keep those dodging those bullets, Madani.” Skye gave the woman a meaningful look before she slid out of her chair and left the diner, resisting the urge to look back. She wasn't sure she'd actually leave if she did.

By the time Skye slide into the cool black leather seat of her Chevy, she was no longer the 20 year old orphan that had to leave yet another family, city and home.

But she was Cipher, the most wanted cyber-terrorist in the world—the digital act of god. Only two people on the planet knew her name, knew who she was... _ what  _ she was.

Two people she trusted...one she just left in the diner and the other probably stashing away his guns for later use. She was gonna miss them. More than she cared to admit.

Skye made an illegal u-turn and went home for the last time. Her vacation was over.

MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU

_ Five days later... _

Skye was leaning against her custom black Harley Fatboy Lo wearing a pair of boots, ripped denim jeans a tank top and a leather jacket to match. Blending in with her new crowd. Being a chameleon was her specialty after all, she'd probably be dead if she wasn't.

She had rode hard out of New York through the rain and managed to evade S.H.I.E.L.D. She would've preferred her van or her car, but Dinah was right. Taking the bike, while harder and more strenuous on her mind and body—especially since she went across the country, was her best option. Her small duffel bag was strapped securely, holding nothing but her clothes and her laptop. Her pistol was sitting on her person, with the extra one in her bag.

Skye had enough cash tucked away for gas, food and motel stops. She mostly stayed on the main highways, figuring S.H.I.E.L.D., would be looking for travelers on the back roads coming from the East.

Now she was in California, drinking her coffee and hacking S.H.I.E.L.D. Using her secondary iPhone. She wasn't looking for anything in particular...but something sensitive, buried in the vault. And she found it...and leaked it. S.H.I.E.L.D. Playing around with alien technology?  _ Oh, that's priceless. _

But before she left their systems completely, she left her signature behind so that they knew  _ exactly  _ who did it. And she even left them a little message behind. Just to be petty for being forced from her home in New York.

**_Tag. You're it. Xoxo._ **

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little more insight into Skye and yes, I totally stole the name Cipher from Fast 8. Too bad ass, so it's Skye's alias now. One of them, really. 
> 
> All mistakes are my own.
> 
> C_S


	3. Maria's Life is Complicated

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

It was three in the morning when Deputy Director Maria Hill walked through the halls of the Triskelion with a hot cup of coffee in her right hand and a level ten classified mission report in her left. The Agents on the night rotation quickly got out of her way, either out of respect of her position within S.H.I.E.L.D., or the irate expression on her face—Maria couldn't be sure, nor did she really care as long as they stayed out of her way.

She entered Fury's office without waiting for his permission to enter, he had been expecting her five minutes ago but Maria had been awake for the past twenty-four hours with the cyber-security team tasked with finding Cipher, but they weren't having much luck. Maria expected it, but with their recent breach from the hacker, they couldn't afford to leave one stone unturned. If there was one thing Maria Hill hated about her job; it was damage control with the press.

It was a headache and the moment they apprehended Cipher, Maria was going to give that hacker a very, very special welcome to S.H.I.E.L.D.

Nick looked up from whatever it was that he was doing when Maria walked in, looking just as exhausted as she felt. He waved away the halo-documents that he had been reviewing with a harsh sigh, “Secure room.”

“ _ Room secured, Director.”  _ The office A.I responded immediately, and as the room locked itself (including the vents) the lights brightened before it could get too dark, and Maria settled into one of Fury's office chairs. She took a much needed gulp from her coffee cup, the high temperature and the bitterness making her veins buzz, giving her a rush.

“ Where are we with Cipher?” he asked after a moment, allowing his second in command's caffeine to kick in. The last thing he wanted to be dealing with was Maria without her proper caffeine fix.

“ Nowhere. After New York she went ghost, we lost her trail in Baton Rouge...so she could literally be anywhere.”

“ What about Homeland? That Agent, Dinah Madani?”

“ I'm leaning on her, but I'm not getting anything. I have a meeting with her tomorrow, bright and early.”

“ She approved it?”

“ No.”Maria lips twitched, “I've been gathering Intel through her office. But the story is always the same; Cipher's been there maybe once or twice but Madani had them meeting outside of the office. Those who actually saw Cipher recalled her being young, no older than twenty maybe.”

Fury grunted, he'd heard the report before.  _ Twice. _ And it was starting to get frustrating that,  _ that  _ was all his Agents could find on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s number one opposition. Cipher caught S.H.I.E.L.D with their pants down constantly, getting access to files that only  _ he  _ had access to.

“ Keep leaning on this, Hill. S.H.I.E.L.D. can't afford anymore leaks. I want this hacker  _ gone. _ ”

“ Understood, sir.” Maria groaned internally, she already had enough on her plate as is without worrying about this hacker calling themselves Cipher but she also knew her longtime colleague and friend was right. S.H.I.E.L.D. couldn't afford to take another hit from Cipher and she knew how important it was to keep the entire operation under wraps.

Fury nodded, and he thankfully moved on, “Mission report on The Hand.”

Maria set her coffee aside, and handed him the folder she had been carrying around with her, keeping it close. With Cipher seemingly living in their database, Maria pulled the mission file personally and put it on paper. It was easier to keep track of, and keep the Agent undercover safe.

“ I've spoken to Agent Morse forty-eight hours ago. Alexandra Reid is keeping her close, and apparently they are going to California for an unspecified period of time.”

“ Where Madame Gao is currently located.” he commented

“ Not much of a coincidence that is.”

“ And this magic voodoo shit? Where is it?”

“ After Agent Morse's Intel of the heroin trafficking on the West Coast, The Hand have been spread a little thin, and so has the Intel. Agent Morse is already in a tight spot, Fury, if she pushes any harder she could be compromised.” Maria warned.

“ What else was Agent Morse able to uncover?”

“ Reid found a candidate to put in her resurrection chamber. Agent Morse over heard Reid bringing in the rest of The Hand's Resurrection Elixir substance but she doesn't know the location of it. Not yet. But I'm thinking it's in California.”

“ And this candidate?”

“ Currently in Madame Gao's possession. Female, young and...she has abilities.”

“ This girl have a name?”

“ Daisy.” Maria shook her head, “Morse was only able to catch snippets, so we can't find out who this girl is in the system, not until we know more. And there isn't a Daisy on the INDEX.”

Fury closed the file, leaning back in his chair and leveling a look at his second in command, but Maria knew him well enough—he was pleased, but about what Maria had no idea.  _ Yet.  _ “How close are we to shutting this organization down for good?”

Maria took another much needed sip from her coffee cup, “Seventy two hours or less.”

“ Negative.” Fury countered, and Maria knew his pleased look was about to make her life a living hell, “I want you to wait until this plays out before moving in one these fountain of youth freaks.”

“ What the hell are you playing at Fury?” she demanded, eyebrow raised. And really she knew she should lower her voice, but Maria was too exhausted for Fury's bullshit, hair brained ideas this late at night, “I will not put one of our top Agents at risk for you to play god.”

Fury raised his eyebrow, but didn't comment on her tone—he never did, “We may never get an opportunity like this ever again.”

“ An opportunity for what?” she already knew what he was going to say next, his paranoia sometimes made Maria want to pull her hair out because sometimes he took it a little too far and his ideas usually blew up in his face.  _ Usually.  _ “Nick. Whatever you're thinking.  _ Stop. _ ”

“ Half the powered people on the INDEX are in The Fridge because they're sociopaths with a gift and no damn sense,” he started, completely ignoring his Deputy Director's exasperated groan, “And the other half are strong willed and good people, but their abilities aren't worth a damn.”

“ Fury—”

“ People like Tony Stark; Iron Man, Bruce Banner; a giant green monster with mommy issues! Gods from other planets throwing a hammer with a red cape. Are running around the goddamn world like it's a playground!”

“ Yeah, and do you really honest to god believe that adding to the circus is a great idea?!” Maria argued back, both of her temples throbbing angrily when she raised her voice.

“ Damn right.” Nick flattened his hands against his desk when he leaned forward, “This is our chance to create our own Winter Soldier, or Black Widow...with a clean slate.”

Maria rubbed her forehead, “You're talking about letting The Hand kill a person for S.H.I.E.L.D.'s own gain. Nick, this person could be innocent!”

“ It's a casualty that I can live with.” was all he said, and Maria's eye twitched, but she knew that this was Nick's final order and there was nothing further she could do but protest in vain, “It's too good of an opportunity to let go, and there's only one person I can trust with this, Hill.”

Maria downed the rest of her black coffee, nearly choking on it in her anger at the man sitting on the other side of the desk. Not only was he not listening to her, but he was dragging her in the middle of his schemes—no doubt to clean up his mess when it would all fall apart.

She continued to glare at him and he just smiled at her, as if he hadn't just made her life more complicated, “This stays between us. Understood?”

Maria looked down at her watch and sighed heavily. She'd been in Fury's office for an hour, and she only had two more hours to try to get some sleep before she went to visit Dinah Madani, another pending headache.

“ Fine. Anything else, sir?”

Nick studied her with his good eye, before dismissing her with a wave of his hand, “Take care of yourself, Hill.”

MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU

When Dinah Madani walked into her office, she had been in a good mood and when her secretary informed her that she had a guest Dinah didn't think too much of it. She had breakfast with Frank along with David Lieberman and his family. It had been a nice morning and Dinah was patiently waiting for Skye to call her so she could tell her that Frank fixed her van, and that David helped. Adding some security perks here and there that they thought the young woman would love and appreciate.

Dinah was aware that she had more than one way to contact Skye but with S.H.I.E.L.D crawling up her ass and around her office, Dinah didn't want to take any unnecessary risks.

The moment Dinah opened her door, her good mood plummeted when she realized just who was in her office, and slammed her office door shut, “Jesus, don't you people ever sleep?”

“ Rarely,” Director Hill answered with a wry smile, watching Dinah take off her coat and sit behind her desk. Maria was content to watch the Homeland Security Agent ignore her presence completely while checking her emails. Maria was exhausted but she was patient enough to wait the woman out, and it didn't take long for Dinah to look (glare) at her.

“ Is there anything you need, Agent Hill? Unlike you S.H.I.E.L.D Agents, some of us actually have work to do, and I have a meeting in twenty minutes. So please, if you could move this along.”

The corner of Maria's lips quirked, “Did you have a nice morning with Mr. Castle and Mr. Lieberman, Agent Madani?”

Maria had to give the woman credit, she didn't react outwardly to her comment (much) but her body language was far too casual to be relaxed as she rocked slightly in her office chair, staring at Maria with obvious contempt, “You're wasting your time with me, Agent Hill. I don't have anything more than what I've already told you. I don't know where Cipher is, and I don't have any way of contacting Cipher.”

Maria loved the fact that Dinah was so careful not to mention Cipher's gender, every time they spoke. It only further proved that the Homeland Agent was lying to her face, and Maria told her as much.

Dinah scoffed, shaking her head, “So you know that Cipher is a woman, congratulations Agent Hill. Did you know that Frank Castle is a man?”

“ I know that you're screwing him. Yet, I'm curious Agent Madani, were you screwing him  _ before _ he was a free man, or after?”

“ I don't know what angle you're working at, Agent Hill, but my private life is just that...private.”

“ You have a habit of sleeping with killers, don't you? First Billy Russo,” Maria filed away that subtle flinch for a later date, “Now, Frank Castle. Did you screw Cipher too?”

Dinah glared at Maria, eyes blazing as she pointed to her office door, “We're done here, get the hell out before I call security.”

Maria didn't move an inch, and she didn't even flinch when Dinah picked up the phone to start dialing for security, “I went by your apartment, Agent Madani. Imagine my surprise when I was told that you no longer reside there. So I had a couple of my Agents follow you—you should be more aware of your surroundings by the way.” Maria commented crossing her legs at the knee, “Would you like to tell me why you're living in the warehouse district? It's not your type...more like Mr. Castle's. I'm surprised. Living together? So soon?”

Dinah stopped what she was doing, freezing for a few seconds before she muttered something into the phone and dropped the receiver back onto the phone with a loud clatter, “What? Are you following me now?”

“ You're giving me no choice, Agent Madani. S.H.I.E.L.D has to assume that you're working with a known terrorist since you refuse to help us catch her. You've slept with two already, what are we supposed to think?”

“ Are you here to take digs at my private life now, Agent Hill?” Dinah hissed angrily.

Maria exhaled heavily, holding up her hands, “Look, I get it. You two worked together, clearly went through something traumatic—but your sense of loyalty is misplaced. Cipher isn't your friend.”

“ What would know about having a friend, Agent Hill? Honestly, I can't imagine you having a lot of those.”

Maria would be lying if she said that didn't sting a little because it was a little right on the nose but like everything else, she brushed it off, “Cipher has killed a number of S.H.I.E.L.D Agents and leaked sensitive data—”

“ And you want me to help you kill her for it.” Dinah interrupted coldly, rising from her chair, “Listen, I don't condone half the shit she is doing, has done, and will probably do in the future. But Cipher is my friend outside of our chosen careers, and  _ that  _ is where my loyalty stands, Agent Hill. I'm sorry but I can't help you.”

Maria stood as well, looking down at the other brunette disdainfully, “You're protecting a terrorist.”

“ I'm protecting a friend, Agent Hill. And I pity anyone you call a friend if you cannot understand that.”

Maria bristled at that comment, and smiled sharply, “I wouldn't get too comfortable in this office, Agent Madani if you don't watch your step from now on.”

“ Is that a threat?”

“ It is a warning...oh, and Agent Madani?” Maria pulled out something from the inside of her coat pocket and set it down on Dinah's desk, “The one photo she couldn't scrub from the web. Figured you would like a copy to frame on your wall—assuming that you don't have any others yourself.” Maria then left Dinah's office, leaving the door wide open not that the Homeland Agent noticed as she continued to stare down at the picture on her desk.

It was a picture of her and Skye sitting in the diner at their usual table for the last time—the day Dinah warned Skye that S.H.I.E.L.D was coming for her. The picture was clearly taken from across the street, the edges slightly blurry but the side of Skye's face was sharp and clear. She snatched the photo off her desk, nearly crumpling it as she shoved it into her desk drawer and locked it.

Dinah nearly jumped out of her skin when her office phone rang, bringing her back into reality. She quickly went to shut her door before throwing herself into her work but she could no longer latch back onto the good mood she was in earlier. It was just her life now.

She just hoped that wherever Skye was, and whatever she was doing; that she was being safe and watching her back.

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All mistakes are my own.
> 
> C_S


	4. Unexpected Turn of Events

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**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

S.H.I.E.L.D. was pissed at her. Well... that was a big understatement, but really what was new? It had been a couple of weeks since she left New York and Skye was still living in motels but they were a little better off than the ones she came across on her impromptu trip to California. She kept in contact with Dinah and Frank. Making sure that they were still alive—standard friend stuff.

She was adjusting quite well to her new environment and she was working at a local martial arts dojo she found just outside of the city of Los Angeles. It was owned by a little old lady by the name of Madame Gao—she was sweet and harmless. But that assessment was Skye's first mistake she'd later discover.

Madame Gao welcomed Skye into her dojo immediately—the place wasn't like any other dojo that was littered around the city. It had character to it. It was traditional and it always smelled like sandalwood and not gym mats and sweat. It was as if Skye really needed the job, but more like she wanted something to do to occupy her down time.

There was hardly anyone ever there other than Madame Gao and a couple of guys in fancy suits that followed the woman around  _ everywhere  _ she went. But Skye's hours or pay never wavered despite the lack of business, so who was she to complain? She had a feeling this woman was something more than wise looks and mystical riddles.

Skye was willing to bet that her cane was more for beating the shit out of someone as it was for helping her walk.

But despite her theories—Madame Gao liked her and Skye liked to think that she knew how to get herself out of a pickle if it ever came to that. Skye knew she had her own methods of checking out Madame Gao's background, but as a villain herself—she figured it was not her business. Madame Gao never said anything to her when she caught Skye on her laptop doing more than just browsing the 'web.

Right now her top priority was rattling around S.H.I.E.L.D.

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It was midday when Madame Gao approached Skye, without her bodyguards this time and while the woman undoubtedly unnerved her to a degree, Skye respected her. She pulled out of the S.H.I.E.L.D database and closed her laptop to give the older woman her undivided attention. The sounds of a man getting his ass handed to him in the dojo area fading into the background.

“ Are you enjoying your stay here, little one?”

That was another thing that Madame Gao did that Skye recognized as favoritism, something that Madame Gao did with no one else in this place. Give her a nickname. An endearing one.

For the most part she ignored it, ignored the warmth at the pit of her stomach—but damn her inner child for eating it up. Skye wasn't blind, or deaf, she knew her heritage (she looked in the mirror every morning) and she heard Madame Gao speaking in mandarin all the damn time when 'potential customers' came in. Skye didn't understand the language in full, but she recognized it enough to keep up.

Skye nodded, already unsure of where this was going, “Yeah, I like it here. It's peaceful.”

“ Of course it is. No one is brave enough to dare disturb my sanctuary.”

“ Right.” Skye really didn't know what else to say, she knew that Madame Gao was working an angle but the hacker couldn't really decipher what for. Madame Gao always wore the same expression, like this amused all knowing little smirk—it was innocent. Skye didn't buy it for a second, but she didn't know how to read the woman either.

“ Have I done something wrong, Madame Gao?”

Madame Gao smiled at Skye as she came around the counter, and if she noticed that the hacker tensed up more, she didn't let on—not that Skye would really be able to tell if she noticed or not.

“ Of course not, little one. I simply wish to have a discussion with you. About your place in my business.”

Skye watched the woman warily as she made her way to the corner of her little front desk stand, turning little by little as Madame Gao moved. And it wasn't lost on Skye that the woman had forced her to turn her back on the door. Giving her no choice. She either turned her back on the door or Madame Gao. And Skye wasn't keen on doing either.

“ Oh? What about it?” Skye asked casually, keeping her tone light and curious as she went to the opposite corner and leaned back against the wall with her arms crossed. She was closer to the door, but she was now able to see it and Madame Gao.

The older woman noticed and nodded slightly, and Skye got the impression that she impressed her but she was still confused.  _ Impressed her for what? _

She gestured towards Skye laptop, “I noticed that you are always on this. You seem quite adept with technology.”

“ You could say that...why? Need help with yours?”

Madame Gao smiled, but it was chilly and Skye's blood ran a little cold, “Would you like to learn Shaolin Kung-Fu?”

Skye blinked, staring at the the elderly woman. Because hell yeah she would, the business front of Madame Gao's operation (whatever the hell it was) might have been slow but the few customers they did have well—the instructors were bad ass, in Skye's opinion. So yeah, she would but she also knew that everything came with a price and sometimes the price was worth it and sometimes...it wasn't.

“ I don't know...depends.”

“ Ah,” Madame Gao gave Skye a look she didn't recognize, “On?”

“ On what you want from me?” Skye scoffed.

Madame Gao inclined her head ever so slightly, tapping her cane once on the floor drawing Skye's eyes momentarily to the odd vibration— _ that was no ordinary cane. There's steel in there.  _ “I want  _ that _ .”

Skye looked up again, startled, “I'm sorry, what?”

“ I am no fool,  _ Cipher. _ I know who enters my city and  _ why.” _

Skye looked up, alarmed—she was caught too far off guard to play dumb. But there wouldn't have been a point other than to waste time and they both knew it. The weight of her gun on her back becoming heftier. “What do you want from me, Madame Gao?”

“ It is simple. I have a friend that needs financial needs. I have another friend that can provide.”

“ So? Go to a bank.”

Madame Gao tapped her cane again, harder this time, and Skye fought to keep her eyes focused on the woman in front of her, “I come to you.”

“ And if I say no? Tell you to fuck off?”

Madame Gao smiled and Skye immediately decided that it was nothing that wanted to see  _ ever  _ again, “I know several government agencies that would be very interested in your whereabouts.”

“ Wow, totally not the sweet old lady I thought you were,” Skye scoffed as she took the offered slip of paper and the flash-drive cautiously from Madame Gao, almost expecting her hand to get chopped off or something.

She glanced at the paper, noticing two different account numbers, she assumed that the first one was going to be the one that she would be extracting the money from.

“ I'll get right on it immediately...like I have a choice. This is blackmail, y'know.”

“ Another chapter in your life, little one. The wheel constantly turns. We must adapt to its position or be crushed beneath it.”

“ Whatever. Anything else?”

“ The address on the back is where you shall deliver the money. She will be waiting for you in two hours.”  _ two hours? Yeah no, I can do this in my sleep. _

“ She? She who?” this was starting to become more than what Skye wanted to do with her day, “And how the hell did you know who I was?”

“ The Hand knows all, little one.”

_ The Hand?!  _ “Shit...” she whispered. She's heard of the organization, more like she's heard whispers but they weren't very rainbows and ponies type of whispers either.

Madame Gao remained silent and offered Skye that damn all knowing smug smile before she wandered out of her work area. And briefly, Skye wondered how someone so frail and old could move so damn fast and quietly. She looked down at the paper in her hand again with a heavy sigh before moving to close the door so she could get to work.

“ The Hand... _ shit,” _ she'd rather be dealing with S.H.I.E.L.D than this group.

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It took Skye all of an hour to get into the freaking  _ Russian  _ bank account and let it be known; Russian banks have top notch cyber security. It took Skye a little while longer to get in without being detected and alerting the bank (because then her life would've been considerably more difficult).

Skye honestly couldn't believe how much money was in the account. She was practically erasing it from existence. Sure, she's robbed plenty of low key wealthy babies for her own gain and those had been some heavy amounts. But this? Skye had a feeling she was stealing from an actual corporation rather than just one person.

Once she was finished with her job, curiosity got the better of her and she dug a little deeper into who Madame Gao (and herself, by association) was stealing from and her mouth dropped in shock when she realized.

“ No way,” Skye laughed under her breath, “Well, S.H.I.E.L.D...looks like you and I meet again.” she noticed that another hacker was trying track her trail (and location) and she figured S.H.I.E.L.D had caught onto what she had just done. And really, Skye couldn't exactly believe it either.

She was a little bitter that she hadn't thought to do it herself, but she was young—she still had plenty to learn. Skye quickly keyed in a few codes, effectively trapping S.H.I.E.L.D little hacker and sending back a virus that would keep them busy for a good while. Whoever it was wasn't the normal run of the mill S.H.I.E.L.D hacker, and she figured they brought someone in from the outside. They were smart enough to pick up her nearly non-existent trail ( there was no way Skye could actually  _ hide  _ taking a hundred million from one of their accounts and expect them not to notice) but they were smart enough to actually keep up with her.

“ Sucker.”

Skye inputted the address into her phone before she packed up her laptop and clocked out for the rest of the day, and probably forever. It was a good forty-five minute drive, give or take the traffic, but she was on a bike.

She'd get there in thirty if she didn't run into any cops. As she was leaving the building, she didn't spot Madame Gao anywhere but she had a feeling that the woman was watching her but from where, Skye had no idea. She couldn't even feel out the woman's energy signature. She never truly could, it was like she was dead or something. Skye had chosen to ignore it up until this point, now she regretted her ignorance.

Skye put on her full faced helmet and mounted her Harley Fatboy, making it roar to life. She wasn't sure who she was supposed to be meeting exactly, but Skye figured she'd know her when she saw her. Idly wondering if she was ancient as Madame Gao.

_ Bested by the old people. Way to go, Cipher. _

MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU

_ Thirty minutes later... _

Skye parked across the street, cutting the engine and pushing down her kickstand as she got off her bike and set her helmet down on the seat. The building across the street was pretty damn swanky from what she could tell on the outside. It was the type of place where people like her avoided like the plague. Skye looked around, trying to find anyone suspicious but aside from the occasional celebrity and typical Hollywood type on the sidewalks. Skye deemed it safe enough.

The bellboys opened the doors for her as she approached and if she thought the outside was impressive, the inside was even more so and Skye suddenly felt out of place as she whistled lowly and earned a glare from the people behind the front desk. The professional hacker just winked at them and started to subtly look around for her client.

Hoping to just 'know' when she saw her. It would've been fucking easier if she had a hint other than it was a woman. It had only been thirty seconds and Skye was already annoyed to death. She knew she should've been expecting someone fancy given the amount of money they wanted, but  _ fucking Christ!  _ Everyone in this place was fancy!

_ Except for her. _ “Oh.”

There was a woman sitting at one of the dining tables dressed  _ elegantly,  _ not fancy. She was decades older than Skye but probably  _ eons _ younger than Madame Gao (Skye snorted). She had a look that separated her from the rest of the crowd. A cunning and ruthless look in her eyes, and Skye could see it from across the lobby. She could see the calculating intelligence when she smiled the moment their eyes met.

This was the type of person Cipher worked with. Through a computer screen. Not face to face. Her fight or flight mode was kicking in towards flight but Skye was carrying too much money on her back—she didn't want that heat on her from both S.H.I.E.L.D., and The Hand. She could handle S.H.I.E.L.D just fine. She didn't wanna be dealing crazy freak ninja's on top of that.

Despite her concerns, Skye found herself heading towards the table the mysterious woman was sitting at and watched as her smile grew with every step she took until she was standing right next to the table. Skye took notice of a brunette woman sitting at the table next to theirs wearing a smart suit and eating alone.

Their eyes met briefly, and Skye got the distinct feeling that she wasn't the typical Hollywood type. Skye looked back at her employer, still standing, “I don't wanna be here longer than necessary.”

The mysterious woman smiled at Skye as she gestured towards the empty chair. “Please, my dear...have a seat.”

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“ Are you hungry, my dear?”

“ Not really my kind of restaurant. Look, I'm pretty sure that you've got some bad guy monologue for me, but I'm really tired. So, no offense? But I don't even know you so what is it that you want? Madame Gao wasn't all that informative.”

“ My name Alexandra Reid, and judging by that look on your face...you know exactly who I am.”

“ I knew your name, not what you looked like.”

“ Well, now you do.”

“ But it still doesn't answer my question.”

Alexandra ignored her in favor of informing their waiter of her choice of wine, only requesting one glass along with the check. And she took her sweet time closing the menu and handing it over. It irritated Skye to no end. This woman may have all the time in the world but Skye was living on borrowed time if she stayed in one unfamiliar place for too long. (didn't stop her from doing it though).

She wanted to just get up and walk away but there was something sinister about this woman that kept her in the overly plushy seat with the golden yellow threading. Skye's fist clenched in her lap beneath the table to keep from shaking things around her due to her fried nerves. She was starting to get the feeling that she had somehow fallen into a trap—and Dinah and Frank would kill her for it if they ever found out.

She and Alexandra sat in tense (well, for her) silence, waiting for the waiter to return. Fortunately, he returned promptly and left them alone for the duration of their meeting. Skye wasn't given enough time to figure out a game plan but she was good at improvising at least. She figured shooting her way out would be a great start if it came to that.

“ You're younger than I expected,” Alexandra murmured, but Skye heard her just fine, “For someone with such an impressive record.”

“ Um, thanks?” Skye was uncomfortable, her body language screamed it and Alexandra was practically feeding on it. Alexandra set a black card on the table between them and smiled. Skye looked between her and the card that seemed so bright against the white tablecloth for a full minute before picking it up hesitatingly. There was no name. No number or nothing but there was a chip.

“ What...what the hell is this?”

“ The money you acquired from S.H.I.E.L.D....it's yours, and  _ that  _ is how you will spend your hard earned work.”

Skye had been right; it was a set up from the beginning. Skye dropped the card back onto the table as if it was hot. She didn't like being toyed with—she  _ hated  _ it. She pushed her chair back slightly, ready to bolt, “Tell Madame Gao I quit.”

“ I have a job for you, Daisy.”

Skye froze as if a bucket of cold ice water straight from the Arctic had been poured over her head. She tried to fight the reaction but she couldn't, she was caught too far off guard. She had already been thrown off her game from the start, this was just pushing her over the edge now.

“ You don't know me, lady. This meeting is over.” Skye rose from her chair, backpack slung over her shoulder. Pissing off The Hand be damned, she didn't care anymore. But Alexandra stopped her before she could fully commit to the bad idea.

“ Daisy Skylar Johnson. Also known as the infamous Cipher. The most wanted cyber-terrorist known to S.H.I.E.L.D., the FBI, the military, Interpol and the CIA. And unknown to most, the first Inhuman to be born...not transformed.”

Skye stood stock still, her back to Alexandra, face blank, fist clenched. She was ready to turn this woman's bones to dust and high tail it out of another goddamn city. Hell, the country.

For the first time since arriving, which was careless on her part, she noticed that most of these guests  _ weren't  _ guests at all. Men and women dressed to the nines, paid to blend in...paid to be unassuming, a false sense of security. Paid to lure her into a trap.

Skye looked to the brunette sitting at the table next to Alexandra's and found her cool blue eyes staring back at her intensely, it was unnerving.

She glanced out the window, towards her bike... _ goddamnit.  _ They were there too. She could make a run for it. But how far could she really get?

_ Dinah is going to kill me seven ways to Sunday. _

Alexandra finished her wine and stood behind Skye with the quietness of a feline, agile and silent that didn't necessarily belong on a woman of her stature. She was contented when she came up behind Skye, grabbing the card and the hackers arm and walked her out of the hotel. Skye was too paralyzed to cause much of a scene.

Alexandra was being surprisingly gentle as she led Skye towards an all white Cadillac SUV that was waiting for them just outside the front door. The brunette breezed by them easily with her long legs and opened the door for them, and Skye was just now realizing that she had two deadly looking batons at her side.

There was a man sitting in the third row, directly behind Skye and he wouldn't even so much as look at her—it was setting off more red flag alarms in her head. And she couldn't figure out why she hadn't used her fucking gun yet. Or her powers.

Skye was doing her best to control her breathing and her quakes but shit, she was having a zero to one hundred type of day it seemed. And she just couldn't seem to get her shit together.

Alexandra slipped the black card into Skye's jacket pocket while simultaneously brushing back a loose strand of her with her other hand, and it would've been nurturing and warm in a way if she hadn't just kidnapped her.

“ I need your help, Cipher,” the brunette in the front seat looked back over her shoulder again at Skye for a brief moment, Skye found her look odd—but she had other things on her mind to be worried about.

Skye swallowed harshly when she felt Alexandra's hand slip between the seat and her back, and took the gun from it's hiding place. She should've stopped her then, but she was frozen in place.

“ I...I don't know what else you want me to do. I gave you the money from S.H.I.E.L.D. What the hell do you want from me?”

Alexandra handed the gun to the woman in the front who dismantled it easily, letting the pieces fall onto the floor and Skye cursed her for it, but Alexandra took her chin and forced their eyes to meet again, “The money was a test, I don't need it. Consider it as a payment for your real job.”

“ Which is what?” Skye snatched away from the woman, or at least she tried to, but Alexandra was stronger than she looked.

“ Your body is a vessel, Daisy. From the gods.”

“ You're fucking crazy,” Skye hissed, “I'm not working for you, lady and that's final.” Skye flipped her hands down towards the floor and the driver nearly swerved into oncoming traffic when the SUV shook violently.

Skye could see the fear and anger flash in Alexandra's eyes, but she also saw the glee and satisfaction, “You're still under the impression that you ever had a choice.  _ Do it.” _

Skye felt the impact before Alexandra's words could really register in her mind, and Alexandra held firm onto Skye's face, watching as her pupils dilated. She could feel Skye's saliva and blood mixing over her fingers as the young adept hacker tried to speak. But all that came out where grunts and wheezes.

Skye's body jolted when the tingle sensation turned into the most intense heat she's ever felt in her life. It was sharp, piercing through through her mind as she tried to process what Alexandra was saying to her but she couldn't make it out. The ringing in her ears was loud, and she could hear the others shouting but for what she didn't know.

Skye didn't realize that her powers were going haywire, and that California was getting hit with an earthquake.  _ Her  _ earthquake.

Skye turned her head or at least she thought she did, but she was staring down at the three sharp points that were sticking through her  _ Queen  _ shirt. Through her back. Through her torso just beneath her breasts, a little to the right—not quite in the middle.

It hurt even more when she looked at it.

She could taste the blood in her mouth and she couldn't stop it from spilling out as she looked down at the three holes forced into her body. She was trying to curse these people and more blood was coming out and she was finding it harder and harder to breath.

The ringing had long stopped and she could hear Alexandra whispering in her ear to relax.  _ Just relax...everything will be right soon... _

Skye didn't feel much of anything anymore. Not even as she watched the blades being pulled out of her body...

_ This hurt so bad... _

Those were the only thoughts racing through her mind...it hurt more than getting shot. It was more intimate, overwhelming and Skye was scared. She lived on the edge but she didn't wanna go. She wasn't ready, not like this.

Not in the backseat of a car with people she didn't even know left from right.

She hadn't even realized that she was crying or that Alexandra was fucking coddling her and wiping away her tears as she was bleeding out all over the white leather seats. Alexandra pulled Skye into her side, cradling her head to her chest as the younger woman shook in her arms. She kissed the crown of her head, whispering reassurances over and over until Skye stopped crying.

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't kill me! It's for the plot, lol. 
> 
> Also, yeah Skye is supposed to be a badass, but I also wanted to show her age, y'know? She may be on a kill on sight list, wanted by a number of agencies...but she did it all behind a screen. She's never been in a direct situation like this without backup per say, so I kinda wanted to write that a little bit. She's still a kid when it comes down to it.
> 
> Anyway, all mistakes are my own.
> 
> C_S


	5. The Asset

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**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

Cipher was a terrorist, someone that needed to either be put down and hard, or locked away in a dark hole to rot. People like Cipher didn't have rights, they didn't deserve them.  _ She  _ didn't deserve them. She'd stolen from organizations and people that she deemed unworthy for her own personal gain, stolen hard work from others who earned it through blood, sweat and tears.

Cipher had gotten a number of people killed out in the field, and it wasn't just S.H.I.E.L.D Agents—but S.H.I.E.L.D was the most targeted government agency. Every S.H.I.E.L.D Agent hated Cipher and would love nothing more to put a bullet between her eyes.

None of them would actually feel sorry for her right now, and Bobbi wasn't sure why she did but she was. She was feeling sorry for the kid she was carrying in her arms, the same kid that Alexandra executed without a flinch. Cipher was Cipher...but Cipher had turned out to be just a kid. It didn't excuse anything she's done but Bobbi was conflicted now, between hating her and pitying her.

She's gotten a few of her friends killed, and Bobbi didn't think she could ever forgive that but damn if she didn't feel sorry for the bleeding mess in her arms that was as light as a feather.

She'd been undercover for about a year with The Hand, and it wasn't easy. The shit she's seen and had to do to keep her cover. To prove her worth. In a way, she was no better than Cipher—having to kill S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents just to earn her spot in Alexandra's personal security detail. She didn't know the Agents but still. She was doing her job, but it was still a punch to the gut every time she had to scratch off one of her own.

She had to cut down other government officials as well to prove her worth and thankfully, this mission was almost over. Bobbi, or as Alexandra knew her; Kaitlin, was ordered to carry Cipher... _ Daisy.  _ She followed Alexandra through the compound quietly, arms and the front of her white shirt already coated with blood. She'd never get to wear this shirt again.

She wasn't surprised to find Madame Gao and her entourage already there and waiting for them. The two exchanged words before Madame Gao ordered her men to stay and guard the elevator. It was only Bobbi and three of Alexandra's men who stepped into the elevator behind two of The Hand leaders.

Bobbi stepped out of the elevator behind Alexandra and Madame Gao. They in the basement of Alexandra's California home. It was dark, cold and had enough space for what they were about to do. One man stayed behind to guard the elevator, and that was just fine with Bobbi.

The rounded the corner, and Alexandra flipped on the lights. They weren't too bright but they weren't too dim either. While the other two men began preparing the resurrection chamber, Bobbi took Daisy's body into the adjoining room. It was a bathroom suite complete, plain and cold.

Alexandra had already expressed everyone's roles prior to Madame Gao putting the plan in motion. Bobbi kept the door open as she laid the girl's body into the bathtub. She grabbed a pair of scissors and began cutting away Daisy's clothing.

Bobbi winced when the three puncture wounds came into view. She tossed aside the ruined clothing and turned on the faucet knowing that they were on a strict time limit. Alexandra wanted Daisy clean and properly prepared for her transformation. As the brunette carefully cleaned away the blood with her back to the open doorway, she discreetly activated her homing beacon on one of her batons by twisting the top notch twice to the left and once to the right.

Bobbi drained the red stained water and lifted Daisy out. Reminded herself that she didn't have to be gentle because she was dead but she just couldn't help but do it anyway. She wrapped Daisy's body in black satin as if she were a mummy before exiting the bathroom suit.

Alexandra came next to her to inspect Daisy for herself and hummed with approval, “Put her in, and be gentle! I don't want anymore damage to her body than necessary.”

“ Yes ma'am.” Bobbi struggled to keep the disgust out of her tone as she lowered the hacker into the old enclosure and stepped back as the two men put the lid on it with a loud clunk.

Bobbi stood back with Madame Gao and Alexandra as they all watched the Resurrection Elixir substance began to fill it up.

“ How long do you suppose it will take?” Alexandra asked Madame Gao quietly.

“ A few hours. Come...your security shall watch over her while we go discuss important matters.”

Just then they heard a commotion come from above them, it was muffled but it sounded very much like an explosion. Bobbi pulled her pocket pistol out of her left boot and held both women at gunpoint. (Alexandra didn't allow for guns so she had to improvise).

Alexandra glared at Bobbi while Madame Gao merely tilted her head back at her, eyes flashing but Bobbi ignored them both, “On behalf of S.H.I.E.L.D, Madame Gao and Alexandra Reid, you're both under arrest drug trafficking, money laundering, murder and the list goes on. On the ground, hands behind your back! Now! Don't make me ask again. We can either do this the easy way or the hard way. Which is it?”

Of course no one moved but Bobbi never expected them to. She would've been sorely disappointed if they had listened to her and did as they were told. The two men came forward as they drew their katana's and the third came around the corner with his twin blades. Bobbi knew that she was on her own as the fight upstairs was still going strong, but she couldn't let these two women escape. She would make sure of it.

“ I've waited a long time to meet The Black Sky. I will not let you people take this from me.” Alexandra stepped forward, drawing a small dagger from her person while Madame Gao stood off to the side, but Bobbi knew it would be her fatal mistake if she labeled the woman as a non-threat.

“ You and I both know how this will end, Reid.”

“ No, we do not. But let us find out, shall we?”

For a few tense moments, no one moved. Bobbi slowly put her gun in her belt choosing to conserve her eight bullets and pulled out her battle staves and got ready. “Hard way it is then.”

MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU

By the time Maria Hill and a select few of Agents made it down to the lower floor where Bobbi's home beacon signal was coming from, most of Alexandra's foot soldiers had been dealt with. There hadn't been any survivors unfortunately, none of them would surrender and those who had been detained—well, The Hand made sure that none of their soldiers would talk. It wasn't something that Maria Hill had seen everyday but she wasn't unfamiliar with the Cyanide Tooth.

Bobbi straightened up when the elevator doors opened, leaving Alexandra's own dagger in the woman's chest. Maria gesture for the other two S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent's to check for survivors as she went over to speak with her Agent but her eyes were steadily drawn to the concrete chamber on the other side of the room.

“ Good job, Agent Morse. Are you hurt?”

Bobbi shook her head, “Cuts and bruises, Deputy Director. Madame Gao was here but she must've slipped out during the fight. I'm sorry I couldn't stop her.”

Maria shook her head, “You did good work here, Agent. Madame Gao will be caught sooner or later. What about that over there?”

Bobbi sucked in a deep breath, “I have updates, ones you will want to hear in private ma'am.”

Maria took note of Bobbi's tone and nodded, she would take the younger Agent's word for it, “Can we secure that thing for travel?”

“ Yeah, I'll get right on that.”

Maria waited until Bobbi left to give orders to the other S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents before crouching down over Alexandra's prone, dying body and she took the dagger out of the woman's chest and tossed it somewhere behind her.

“ You...you have no idea what you're going to be dealing with,” Alexandra wheezed, eyes fluttering, “The Black Sky...you've no idea, Agent...”

Maria looked down at the woman, storing away the name for later in favor of another question, “Where is Madame Gao? Seems like she's left you here to die... _ again.  _ But this time, you won't be coming back, will you? This is your last chance to die with a little bit of goodwill, Reid. Where is she?”

Alexandra's laugh was painful, but she never gave Maria an answer—she didn't have enough in her to, even if she did want to answer Maria's question. The Deputy Director rose to her feet with a heavy frustrated sigh.

She looked over to see that there were at least three yellow straps around the chamber keeping it closed with hooks on top for aerial transport. Fury wouldn't be happy that one leader was dead and the other one was on the run and warning the rest of The Hand.

“ Alright, Agents lets clear out. The demolition crew is ten minutes out, and I would rather not be here when they get here.”

Deputy Director Hill watched as they wheel the concrete assembly towards the elevator with Bobbi falling into step next to her. Maria was unwilling to let the thing out of her sight so they all were a little awkwardly cramped inside of the elevator all the way up to the roof where the S.H.I.E.L.D. Quinjet was waiting to take them to an undisclosed location. A location not even Fury knew about.

Bobbi and Maria stood aside quietly as the lower ranked Agent's secured Maria's new mission aboard the jet before Maria dismissed them to go help the clean up crew to find something helpful to finally take down The Hand for good, but she doubted that they would really find anything here.

“ Where are you going to take her?” Bobbi asked after a few seconds of silence, knowing that she shouldn't be question the Deputy Director of S.H.I.E.L.D but she's been undercover with The Hand for a year. And she felt personally responsible for the girl's death, she figured she had a little right to know.

Maria looked at her coolly, “Somewhere private.”

“ Alone?” it didn't escape Bobbi's notice that Maria's Quinjet was suspiciously empty of other Agent's, “That seems a little dangerous.”

“ We do live dangerous lives, Agent Morse. But I do have to go soon. Those updates you mentioned; what are they?”

“ I only found out about an hour or two ago, but that body you're taking to some dark hole? That's Cipher.”

“ _ What?!  _ Agent Morse, are you absolutely positive? How did you come about this information?”

Bobbi sighed deeply, shaking her head, “I think Madame Gao figured it out first, I don't know—I was never given the explicit details but Alexandra said her name was Daisy. Daisy Skylar Johnson, also known as Cipher. Look, I just know that The Hand somehow knew who she really was and they were right. She froze instead of splitting like they thought she would. That's how Alexandra was able to get in the car so she could kill her.”

Maria rubbed her forehead tiredly,  _ shit. _ This was getting even more complicated than it already was and she wasn't sure how the hell Fury was going to take this new turn of events of the 'The Asset' he was already so fond of, “And her powers? You mentioned that she was enhanced? Did you ever figure out what they were?”

“ Er, kind of...?” Bobbi shrugged unsure of how to explain exactly what Cipher had done while she had been dying, “There was an earthquake earlier...” she trailed off suggestively, and it took Maria all of five seconds to pick up on just what Bobbi was trying to hint at without actually saying it.

“ It...that was Cipher?!”

“ On her deathbed. Yeah.”

“ Is there anything else I should know?”

“ You might wanna get going to wherever it is you're taking her. You have a few hours before she wakes up, maybe a day? You should warn whoever that she's gonna be really fucking hostile when she does.”

Maria pinched the bridge of her nose, because that 'whoever' was going to be  _ her.  _ “Great. My day just keeps getting better and better.” Maria cracked her neck, knowing that she was going to need a much needed nap, “You did good, Agent Morse. I'll log you in with two weeks of down time once I'm in the air.”

“ Thank you, Director Hill.”

“ Oh and Agent Morse?”

“ Yeah?”

“ Her being Cipher? Keep it out of your report, do you understand?”

Bobbi blinked at her boss, the same boss that was asking her to lie to her  _ other  _ boss.  _ Their  _ boss. And she didn't understand why, “Can I know why?”

“ At this moment; no. But in time, you will understand why I'm asking you to do this, Agent Morse.”

Bobbi wanted to push, and she knew she had every advantage to do so, but she respected Maria Hill, and she even trusted her more than she did Fury often. She held the older Agent's gaze carefully then stiffly nodded, “I expect an answer later, Agent Hill.”

Maria nodded quietly, grateful, before she walked up the ramp of her Quinjet and waited until the ramp was closed before letting her cold persona drop. Allowing the dread and uncertainty to take over her mind for a split second. This was her mission now, her responsibility.

She knew that Fury needed to know that his new 'favorite toy' was the one who had been giving him and the rest of S.H.I.E.L.D pure hell in the past few years. And she would tell him. When Cipher...no _Daisy_ _Skylar Johnson_ was presentable. Presentable to the point that he would overlook her past misdeeds—it was a shot in the dark, but it was a shot she was willing to gamble.

Once they were high enough into the air on a ghost route to her secret safe house, Maria put the Quinjet on autopilot and signed onto her tablet. She put in her report to Fury that she had the asset and was going off the grid for a while before signing off, not bothering to wait for his reply.

She began searching about The Black Sky on google, because as much as she hated to admit it. Alexandra Reid was right, she didn't have much of an idea of what she was getting into, not yet. Maria clicked on the first link and hunkered down in the pilots seat and began reading the old Chinese folklore.

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All mistakes are my own.
> 
> C_S


	6. Do You Know Who You Are?

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

Maria rubbed her eyes tiredly with one hand as she tossed aside her tablet into the co-pilot's seat with the other. She's been 'researching' for hours and all she got was one sheet of notes. She's never been more annoyed with Fury before in her life up until this point.

He wanted to keep this all under wraps, that she could understand but she needed more than the internet and her 'female intuition'. The only plus side of things that Maria could think of; was that The Hand leaders came out of the very same substance and they turned out fine. A little psychotic but they had all ten fingers and toes (that she was aware of).

But Cipher...she was different from the rest of them. The Hand leaders were all human without special abilities.

This was the first time in a very long time that Maria didn't have a plan on top of plan for something in her life, personal and career wise. It was unsettling. And Maria Hill did not like being unsettled.

Maria rose from her pilot's seat and went to get herself something to eat. As she was opening those dreadful meal ready to eat packages, she stopped and looked at the cargo she was carrying. She set down her food and walked over to it slowly, fingers reaching out to trace over the solid concrete that was more likely decades old.

Maria loosened the yellow straps one by one as they hit the cold metal floor with a loud clang. From what google told her, people who came back from the dead had issues with their memories. There weren't many people who have actually come back from being dead for more than a day, but Maria put two and two together. She had theories based off what she found.

And on the other hand...

The Black Sky was a myth, according to a few websites that weren't click baiting her. S.H.I.E.L.D didn't have anything on their database about it, so it was the best she could do. There was one particular website that held the most merit in terms of information if Maria was willing to ignore the vampire and werewolves tab that glowed in her face.

She knew Fury wanted her to lie to the girl, to sell S.H.I.E.L.D's motto and recruit her like they've recruited everyone else. And Maria had agreed for the sake of getting him out of her hair but now she was absolutely positive that his plan of action might have gotten them all killed. If this...Black Sky truly was a demon, lying to it wasn't going to do them any good.

Maria had seen a lot in her career not to brush this aside, she was taking every precautionary she thought necessary, even if that meant going against Fury's very detailed orders. It was her life on the line, not his. She was here, not him. And quite frankly, Maria figured her way would get better results.

“ Your soul had to be stolen from you, so that you could come back as a demon. To be used as a weapon.” Maria said to no one in particular, looking down at the concrete cargo she was still touching, “If it makes you feel any better...the woman who did this to you, is dead. Well, one of them is. And, I'm talking to myself. Right.”

Maria removed her hand and went back to her food, opting to make some coffee as well. The hum of the engines drowned out the sound of sloshing inside of the sarcophagus.

MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU

Instead of going back to the cockpit, Maria sat in one of the uncomfortable chairs with her cup of lukewarm coffee (that was the hottest she could get it while traveling 10 thousand miles above the normal altitude to avoid commercial airlines beneath her). She read up that clinically dead people still have brain functions and they could hear sounds.

S.H.I.E.L.D's science division knew this, however, how much these individuals understood was another matter. Maria figured she would apply those theories to her current situation. The girl in the sarcophagus was technically very much dead but she was also in the process of being resurrected. The S.H.I.E.L.D. Deputy Director wasn't sure how any of it would work now, but she was willing to try. To try and form an early bond with the demon less than five feet away.

She stared at the sarcophagus for a few passing minutes, “I guess I should tell you about your new home for a while. It's private, in a valley in Indonesia. No one knows about it, not even Fury.” Maria placed her foot on the side of the ancient tomb like device, unaware that the semi-conscious person inside could feel her body heat through it's thick walls, “I'm taking you to my home...never thought I would actually being telling that to a known terrorist but...I guess that part of your life is over with now.”

Maria stopped, unsure of what else she could say. She felt ridiculous already.

“ You might like it there...not a lot of noise. You might hate it...you're gonna have to hunt for your own food.” she shifted her foot slightly, and the hand inside of the sarcophagus followed it—her nails dragging against the wall, and Maria froze. Hearing it this time.

Maria's laugh was quiet, disbelieving and breathless.  _ She can hear me.  _ The question Maria really wanted to know; could she actually  _ understand  _ her? Maria wasn't a doctor and she wished she had one with her right now spilling scientific jargon that she would barely be able to process, but a simple yes or no would suffice.

She slowly moved her foot into a more comfortable position, the scratching sound following her movement. She wasn't exactly sure if it was a good thing or bad thing to be bonding with a supposed demon in the long run. One that no one really knew anything about. Except The Hand, who were either underground in hiding or dead.

Maria opted to believe that she could hear her but not understand her, so she just sat back to finish her coffee, “Well, my favorite color is...”

MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU

They were still two hours away and that normally would not be an issue if it weren't for the fact that her passenger was beginning to stir.  _ A lot.  _ Maria had been in the middle of a story, a mission gone wrong, when she felt something repeatedly dripping on her boots. She looked up to find fingers sticking out between the lid and the metal tomb. Those nails looked a little too sharp for Maria's liking but she didn't dare move an inch, not wanting to startle whatever was starting to wake up.

She watched silently as another set of fingers came poking out, the same oily substance dripped down onto the floor and honestly—to Maria it looked like a bad mix of syrup and water and she was definitely not cleaning that up.

A full five minutes passed before the lid was pushed off to the other side roughly, and Maria didn't even want to think about the damage that had been done. The Deputy Director slowly began to move away from the wakening being as she slid out of the sarcophagus like a newborn calf, spilling the substance everywhere including the seat that Maria had been previously occupying.

Tense and quiet, Maria watched the young girl who had been reborn against her will struggling to get her bearings, covered in the substance, eyes full of fear, confusion and pain.

Against her better judgment, Maria cautiously approached her but stopped when she cowered against the concrete vessel that she had recently escaped from, the one that brought her back to life. Maria took moved closer, crouching and holding out her hand.

That proved to be her first mistake. She had gotten too close, and didn't heed Bobbi's warning from earlier. The young woman leaped at the bleary creature that had been reaching for her, but Maria's naturally training kicked in. She reversed their positions before her back even hit the floor, catching both of Daisy Johnson's wrists before they could tear her throat out.

Maria pressed her entire weight down onto the girl, with her forearm on her throat as gently as she could. She didn't want to hurt her, but she didn't want to die either, “Hey. Hey, I don't want to hurt you but you're gonna have to calm down, alright? Just calm down.”

And calm down she did, recognizing that sound above the others the Quinjet was making, the sounds that were irritating her. She recognized Maria, and she relaxed beneath the woman, except for the trembling (whether it was fear, or she was cold or in pain...Maria didn't know but guessed all three) and she was crying, unable to hold in her sobbing.

“ It's okay, it's just me...the one who's been talking to you for eight hours,” Maria kept whispering to her as she removed her arm from her throat, but not quite ready to let go of her hands, “My name is Maria Hill, do you remember who you are?”  _ of course she doesn't, she just woke up, _ Hill reminded herself. “Do you understand anything I'm saying?”

She received an unsteady nod, and Maria heard the gurgle in her stomach before the panic settled in the young woman's eyes. Maria acted fast and sat up on her knees and quickly pushed her onto her side just as she vomited more of the substance out of her system. Maria made a face but she was already covered in the stuff.

“ It's safe here, with me...okay? I'm not gonna hurt you. You're safe with me. I'm a safe place. You're safe with me.” Maria kept saying as gently as she could, still holding back substance soaked hair. She was shooting for reassuring, feeling as if she were missing her mark, but she had no idea just how hard her words were impacting the person beneath her. Maria didn't know it yet, but she locked in her fate with Daisy S. Johnson.

MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU

Maria walked into the cockpit with a cup of warm water (apparently her teeth were sensitive and she couldn't handle the cold water) and a package of crackers and a small package of jerky. Daisy (Maria didn't want to keep calling her Cipher or Demon) was sitting in the co-pilots seat with gray standard S.H.I.E.L.D blanket around her shoulders. The Quinjet didn't have any showers, so she was still covered in the elixir.

She still hadn't said a word and she wasn't crying anymore and thankfully, she wasn't trying to kill Maria again. But the Deputy Director wouldn't be sleeping with both of her eyes closed anytime soon regardless. (not that she ever did).

“ Here,” she said softly, handing over the items carefully. Daisy looked at them curiously for a moment before taking them from Maria's hands, her nails brushing against the Agents skin but it was ticklish, not painful.

Maria settled into the pilots seat and watched as Daisy drained the water and didn't toss the cup like last time. The girl didn't  _ look  _ like a demon, but she had small tales that she  _ had  _ changed. If it weren't for the surveillance photo Maria had, she would've never spotted them.

For instance, her eyes. Daisy's eyes were lighter, still brown but they were a shade or two lighter and  _ god _ were they sensitive. She nearly had a fit when Maria tried to check them with a flashlight but thankfully she didn't attack her again. Her pupils were the same, a little thinner than normal, but nothing no one would notice unless they got close like Maria.

And Maria had a feeling that  _ no one  _ would ever get that close to Daisy, not even if Maria asked her to. Another thing was her teeth. They were normal, like before, but sharper. Maria didn't confirm it, and she didn't want to, but she had a feeling that a bite from this girl would be fatal.

It was the little things. The little things that made up for something bigger. She had no doubt that The Hand wanted a clueless killing machine, she was pretty sure that was what Fury wanted to in lesser more politically correct words.

Maria frowned. Daisy might've been a pain in the ass in her previous life but Maria didn't want that for the kid in this life. This was her second chance and for some reason Maria was going to make sure that Daisy got the best out of it.

“ Are you still in pain?”

Daisy nodded, still eating the crackers, not yet touching the jerky. For the past hour, this is how they've been communicating. Maria only talking or asking questions that required a nod or a head shake, but she did notice that Daisy was a quick learner. Easily adaptable from she's been able to observe so far. It would make training her that much more easier and faster.

Maria sighed, “I think it'll pass in time...your body could possibly still be in shock. Is there anything coming back to you? Like your name?”

Daisy stopped and looked at her, really looked at Maria. It was going to take the Deputy Director a little bit of time to get used to her soul being examined like that, “My...name?” Daisy's voice was rough and scratchy.

Maria nodded, “Yes, your name. Do you remember it?”

Daisy frowned, food forgotten for the time being as she tried to remember her name but there was nothing coming back to her, not her age or her name, or...there was nothing. It was exhausting, and it was frustrating. Maria regretted pushing the issue when the Quinjet started shaking and the alarms started blaring. But she quickly shut them off and fought for control of the Quinjet while trying to stay calm.

“ Hey, it's okay, just— _ Daisy _ , deep breaths, alright!” Maria nearly did a barrel roll when the controls stopped fighting her as the tremors stopped and she found Daisy staring at her in wonder, and Maria blew a strand of hair out of her face.

“ Daisy...? That's my name?”

“ Yeah, that's your name. Daisy Skylar Johnson.” Maria should've told her sooner, but she didn't know she'd react like that—she just wanted to see how far gone Daisy's memory was.

“ Oh...”

“ But I can call you anything you like, Daisy or Skylar..Skye for short. I can even call you Johnson.”

Daisy was quiet for a little while. Too long really, prompting Maria to check in on her again but she was surprised to find a small, pleased smile on Daisy's face, “I like Daisy.”

“ Good. Good, so do I.”

They fell into silence again, and Daisy went back to eating her food. The noises the Quinjet made still annoyed her endlessly, but she was learning how to tune them out. Daisy noticed that they were below the clouds now, and she spotted something up ahead between the mountains in the valley.

“ Your home. Are we here?”

Maria looked a bit startled, “What?”

Daisy looked at Maria, a little confused before pointing out of the Quinjet window, “Your home...I see it. It's yours right?”

Maria blinked, and checked the panel,  _ Interesting... _ “Daisy you...you can see it? Can you describe it for me?”

“ Dark roof...light brown wood. Stone steps, stone barrier...open field around your home. The grass is very healthy,” Daisy murmured, almost sounding impressed, “There's a lake behind it...surrounded by stone and orange flowers.”

Maria was gobsmacked, her mask cracking slightly, “Daisy. We're still two and a half miles out. How the hell can you see all of that from here? I can't even see that from here.”

“ Because you're a human, Maria. Your eyes are weak.”

Maria chose to ignore that comment, “You know you're not human, Daisy?”

“ I can feel it.”

“ Feel what exactly?”

“ I feel different.”

_ Now we're getting somewhere,  _ “How did you feel before?”

“ Orange,” Daisy smiled at Maria, it was small—nearly non-existent but it was there, “The orange flowers.”

“ Yes?” Maria was tempted to get them back on the previous topic but she learned her lesson about trying to force Daisy's mind. She was willing to go with the flow while another part of her, the Agent part, was revising her training regimen for Daisy.

“ Orange is your favorite color.”

“ Interesting. You really heard me when I was talking to you?” Maria wondered if Daisy's memories could be triggered by something familiar from her past life. It was another theory for another time. She was still mortified that Daisy actually  _ heard  _ her when she was supposed to be dead in that oily gunk.

“ Some of it, not all of it.

Maria nodded, “I'll teach you about keeping secrets later, for now...just eat your food.”

Daisy studied Maria from the corner of her quietly, and smiled. Deciding that she liked her. But there was a face that was floating about in her mind, smiling at her smugly—she did not know who the old woman was, but Daisy knew that she was not a friend. Not like Maria. Maria who had been honest with her.

Daisy did not know who the old woman was, but there was dark knot twisting in the pit of her stomach and it felt a lot like revenge. Perhaps not now, but she'd have it.

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A demon didn't come back as Daisy, it's really Daisy but she's just different. They say your soul isn't the same when you come back from death, figured eh, why not? It's not gonna play into a big deal tho, so I wouldn't dwell on it. She's just really not human anymore, lol.
> 
> I think they're time together will be interesting, a special bond. Before I start introducing other characters. 
> 
> I actually had to look up the Black Sky's powers cause I had no idea...and they are pretty extensive, lemme tell you. But it comes down to super soldier type stuff, so everything else cool is just Daisy being Daisy.
> 
> C_S


	7. New Friend

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

Maria stepped out of her elevator, down into the lower levels of her home. Just because she liked to live in complete solitude didn't mean that she wanted to live the life. She liked her stainless steel as much as the next city girl—she just didn't want the neighbors. And the paper of running background checks on said neighbors.

The house above ground was functional, but it was a front more or less. Her real home was at least forty feet under ground. She used one of her sub accounts to pay for the blueprints and construction, completely off of S.H.I.E.L.D's radar. Of course, S.H.I.E.L.D would've covered it had she put it on the books as a safe house and marked it invisible to anyone below a level 10 clearance. But Nick's paranoia rubbed off on her over the years obviously.

Maria went to her kitchen first to grab a cold bottle of water. She and Daisy had another successful day of training, and in just two days Daisy was already keeping up with Maria in hand to hand combat of multiple forms that Maria knew.

The quickness of Daisy's learning abilities was a little alarming but Maria was keeping a log of the things Daisy was learning and how quickly it took her to hone in on those skills. Sometimes, it took her a couple of hours. Rarely a few days. Daisy's hand eye coordination was better than Natasha Romanoff's but Maria wasn't going to be the one to tell the Russian assassin that. Daisy was like a sponge, soaking it all in and she listened.

While they were working out, it didn't take Maria long to notice that Daisy was insanely flexible. And she knew better than to her how her body was so nimble. But the answer provide itself when they went for a run through the small patch of woods. In the past life, it seemed as if Daisy might have been into parkour. And was quite good at it.

Maria had yet to give Daisy a computer, she wasn't worried—okay she was a little worried. As far as she knew, Cipher was dead. Long dead, but she didn't want to risk drudging up those memories but she knew that it was absolutely crucial that she figure out if Daisy was still a security risk around electronics.

While Maria was sure that the old Daisy wasn't going to come rearing around anytime soon, she also knew that muscle memory could be a bitch. Like _all of the time._ She was fairly positive after four days that Daisy's amnesia was permanent and that her memories were procedural and not declarative. She's seen it enough times in her long career to recognize the signs.

Daisy had finished her work out early and came back inside ten minutes before Maria but the area was suspiciously quiet. Water still in hand, Maria made her way to Daisy's designated bedroom and knocked despite the door being wide open but she didn't want to startle the woman.

“Daisy? What are you doing?” But it was obvious what she was doing, standing half naked in front of the full body length mirror, fingers gently prodding at the three sealed puncture wounds on her torso.

Daisy's eyes flickered to hers briefly before going back to what she was doing, “Is this how I died?”

Maria's eyes drifted down Daisy's well developed back, to the slightly bigger but matching stab wounds as she set her water down on the dresser. The S.H.I.E.L.D. Deputy Director walked further into Daisy's bedroom slowly, fingers reaching out to touch the ruptured skin. It wasn't the first time she's seen them, but it was the first time Daisy openly asked about them.

It would also be the first time she's let Maria touch her wounds without flinching or getting pissy about it. Maria saw it as them making progress. What she didn't really expect was the skin around Daisy's stab wounds to be icy cold. A startling contrast to the rest of her body which ran at a little over a hundred degrees.

“Daisy,” Maria looked up, seeing that she was being watched carefully—Daisy had her guard up but she wasn't tense. Not really. “You shouldn't dwell on how you died.”

“I can't help it, Maria. I see it every day. I _feel_ it when we are training. It's uncomfortable.” Daisy broke eye contact as a single tear escaped her right eye.

“Is there anything I can do to help you, Daisy?”

Daisy shrugged helplessly, eyes closing and her shoulders were tight and Maria stopped touching her, “Promise me that I won't die again...”

“I can't promise you that Daisy.” Maria took a risk and placed both of her hands on Daisy's bare shoulders and waited until she opened her eyes and met her stare through the mirror, “But I can promise to teach you how to defend yourself. To defend yourself well enough to handle the person trying to kill you.”

Daisy swallowed and nodded, “Thank you.”

Maria cleared her throat, taking a step back, “See you for lunch later?”

“There's this cat I've been tracking for three days...”

“I was joking when I said we had to hunt for our own food.” Maria deadpanned, “You're aware of this right?”

Daisy turned and winked at Maria, “I am.”

Maria shook her head, muttering something about demon children as she grabbed her water and left Daisy's room.

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“Secure office.”

“ _Office secured, Deputy Director Hill.”_

Maria sat behind her home office desk, freshly showered with a cup of strong coffee in hand. She set it aside and pressed the blinking red button next to her virtual keyboard. Across the room on the relatively blank wall, Nick Fury's face popped up and he looked more or less annoyed.

“Hill. I've been trying to get in contact with you for a week. Progress report?”

“Well hello to you too, Nick.”

Nick sighed, closing his one good eye, “Fine. How are you, Agent Hill. May I have that damn progress report now. Please.”

Maria smirked behind her coffee mug, “It's been a week Fury, there's nothing new to report. She still has permanent amnesia. She's picking up her training faster than any Agent I've ever seen, and she might be enough take on several of our best Agent's at once.”

“I'm hearing that she's ready.”

“I don't think so.” Maria shut him down firmly, “She will be ready when I say she is.”

Fury sighed, “Is she at least loyal to S.H.I.E.L.D.?”

 _She's loyal to me,_ Maria nodded, “As loyal as I am.”

“Good. Get in touch with Romanoff, send your coordinates to her. I want this asset in my ranks immediately. Fury out.”

“What—”

He disconnected the video call before she could even protest, and the muscle in Maria's jaw ticked. She kept the room secure as she pulled up another file and dialed a familiar number. She didn't want to invite anyone from work to her personal home, but she knew that Natasha could it a secret. She wondered what Fury told the redhead assassin because she answered on the second ring, looking bored as ever. And from the background, she was already in a Quinjet. Seems as though Fury briefed her before calling Maria.

“Hill.”

Maria sent the coordinates to Natasha, “Call when you're at least three miles out Romanoff, so I can let the security perimeters down.”

“Ever the cautious one,” Natasha smirked, “How's your rookie doing?”

“Fine, her training is excellent. She's just got a lot of inner issues that need to be ironed out, abilities that need to be honed in. I suppose that's where you come in?”

“Coulson was pissed when Fury pulled me and labeled it classified in his face.”

“I can imagine. Who did he get to take your place while you're away?”

“Morse once she gets back from vacation. She works well with Clint, plus Coulson insisted since Fury is breaking up his team temporarily.”

“Fury briefed you then?”

“He did.”

“Good, saves me the time and trouble. See you when you arrive Romanoff.” Maria disconnected the call with a heavy sigh. While she was actually a little relieved to be getting extra hands with Daisy, she was still not liking the idea too much either.

Maria finished her coffee before opening her office once again. She had opened door, and walked back towards the kitchen to refill her cup. Her home was quiet but she knew that Daisy was out in the woods, practicing her hunting skills. The skills that would come in handy when she would ultimately be tracking down S.H.I.E.L.D targets.

She didn't want to know how Daisy would react to Natasha being around. The assassins intense nature might set her off, or it might not. It was a risk, but Daisy was going to have to interact with the general human population sooner or later.

Maria checked her watch then went back into her office to finish more work before Natasha's arrival.

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It was nightfall when Daisy finally returned and it didn't escape her notice that there was another aircraft parked next to Maria's. She saw it arrive a couple of hours ago before the sun fell behind the mountains. Daisy had been too near her prey to turn back to investigate the newcomer despite her guarded curiosity.

Now, after an intense game of cat and mouse that had come down to a brutal fight between her and the tiger, Daisy was proudly wearing her battle wounds—she hadn't expected the beast to outright charge her, but the four scratches on her left arm were won with pride.

By the time she store the now skinned cat in the deep freezer, her wounds were healed and only the dried blood and her torn clothing was indicator that she had been attacked at all.

Daisy stepped off the elevator, the smell of home cooked food hitting her hard and she didn't realize how ravenous she was until her stomach growled angrily. Daisy made her way into the kitchen, seeing Maria sitting at the high kitchen table with a red haired woman. She was dressed casually, but her clothing was tight and Daisy didn't immediately spot any weapons when she checked her but that didn't mean the woman wasn't armed.

If she was anything like Maria, and Daisy knew that she was, she would do well to remember that.

“Daisy, this is a friend from work; Natasha Romanoff also known as the Black Widow. Natasha, that's Daisy.” Maria set her wine glass down, looking Daisy over as she continued to stand in the doorway staring at Natasha blankly, “Good hunt?”

Daisy finally looked away from the Black Widow and to Maria, “The best. It's in the deep freezer upstairs.”

“Sit down and eat. Tomorrow, we're double down on your training.”

Daisy looked back at Natasha who was still looking at her, eyes narrowed this time. Daisy sat across from Maria, closest to Natasha and the Deputy Director raised an eyebrow at that.

“So, you wanna be a S.H.I.E.L.D Agent?” Natasha asked, finally breaking their silence, “It's a lot more than being good at fighting and knowing how to pull the trigger.”

Daisy shrugged, “You can't teach me anything, Black Widow. Agent Hill has already informed me of that.”

“I'm not here to train you how to be an Agent. I'm here to train you about control.”

“Control? Control for what?”

Natasha pointed her fork at Daisy, specifically at her heart, “How to control that darkness lurking inside of you.”

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before anyone asks if I'm pairing Daisy and Maria romantically...I've no idea. I've no idea who she will be romantically linked with, I haven't decided yet.
> 
> All Mistakes are my own.
> 
> C_S


	8. Mission Ready

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a boring filler chapter.

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It's been a little over five months since Daisy began her training with both Natasha Romanoff and Maria Hill. Both women had their own techniques when it came to training. It might've seemed similar but to Daisy they were different, but she was learning a lot and quickly. There was more to kicking ass than just, well, kicking ass.

Natasha had taught Daisy the ins and out of her own body. About how to get to know herself on a spiritual level. Daisy didn't quite understand what the woman was talking about until one day during their pre-work out warm ups—that she finally felt it. She felt the inner demon that was now herself since she came back from the dead; calm. The breathing techniques, the movement, the peace of mind...Daisy didn't feel so impulsive with her urges anymore.

That inch that felt off balance in her soul, or lack of, was corrected.

Now being up doing that weird dance at an ungodly hour in the morning wasn't so bad to Daisy anymore. She couldn't imagine starting her day without doing at least half an hour of Tai Chi before hitting the gym mats and getting on with her day.

Occasionally Daisy would skip the gym and go running instead—around the lake, and sometimes through the forest jumping over fallen trees and swinging off the low branches. Maria had called her style of running parkour. And Daisy was positive that neither spy had taught her this.

But she figured it was another one of the procedural memories Maria had explained to her a few months ago.

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For months both Agents were cramming years and years worth of training and programming into Daisy's mind and body. It was a brutal and borderline torturous process for Daisy. And there were times where she has begged for Maria to just stop but the older woman ignored those cries. She knew that Daisy was special, and she also knew that she and Natasha would hit Daisy's limit despite the young womans impressive learning capacity.

_Because everyone, even The Hulk, had a limit._

But instead of stopping, Maria only pushed her harder. Pushing Daisy past her limits. Together Maria and Natasha pushed Daisy so hard until she began pushing back. Daisy's endurance, her strength, her stealth and her intelligence grew every day. And Maria was proud.

And when they weren't beating the shit out Daisy on the mats, she was in the books of S.H.I.E.L.D. Learning protocols (only to break them in the future), terminology, S.H.I.E.L.D's history and she was learning languages from Maria and espionage from Natasha.

But they could only give her the basics of the game. It was experience made the Agent.

Maria wasn't sure if she wanted Daisy to learn how to lie, but she kept those thoughts quiet to herself. Their third month of training, Maria finally did the unthinkable. She put a laptop in front of Daisy along with an how to hack packet that she had printed from her office computer.

It took Daisy all of three days to unlock that muscle memory. And in the privacy of her office, Maria grilled Daisy about Cipher but the girl simply didn't remember and Maria was relieved. They could do with the dangerous computer skills without the motive behind the skill.

There were times when Maria would just stand back on the edge of the mats and watch Daisy spar with Natasha, and then there were those moments when Maria would actually jump in—the first time that happened, Daisy didn’t see it coming and Maria landed a good kick to her ribs...and broke them upon impact.

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_Flashback..._

_Daisy and Natasha circled each other on the gym mats, both wearing similar work out outfits of bike shorts and a sports bra, well Daisy was wearing the sports bra but Natasha had on a black tank top over hers. Both had their hands wrapped, and were barefoot._

_Daisy shook out her stiff arms, trying to ignore the dull ache in her left arm just below the elbow. She forgot to roll out of a flip and landed wrong but Daisy wasn't one for giving up. Natasha's face (as usual) gave away nothing but the small smirk told Daisy that she knew that her arm was sore._

_Daisy's main focus was on the redhead a couple of feet away from her but she was well aware of Maria standing off to the side, watching them with an analyzing eye—and the last thing Daisy wanted to do was fail._

_Daisy threw the first jab and Natasha knocked the fist out of her face easily before closing the distance between them. Daisy reacted quickly despite still being shocked by how fast the older woman moved—using a move Maria taught her, Daisy wrapped her arms around Natasha's slim waist with her head resting on her chest and hooked her foot behind one of Natasha's leg and pulled._

_Natasha allowed Daisy to sweep her off of her feet but mid fall, the older woman twisted their bodies around so that Daisy took the brunt of their fall on the mat under their combined weight, knocking the air out of her lungs._

_The move was familiar to Daisy, it was a grappling move that Maria often trapped her in. Natasha didn’t get a chance to hook her legs around Daisy's, as the younger brunette knocked her arm from beneath her, and rolled them over so that Daisy was straddling Natasha. Suddenly there was a hand on the back of Daisy's neck, throwing her off._

_Instincts kicking in, she rolled into the landing...accidentally doing a one handed hand-stand. Everything that happened after that was a complete blur, Daisy blocked Natasha's leg sweep with her free hand but that left her entire body vulnerable for attack, and the brutal well placed kick to her ribs had her crumbling to the mat ungracefully. Daisy held up her hands, in the universal sign for a time out, wheezing and on her back._

_Fuck, that hurt._

_Maria stopped and took a step back, “Daisy? Are you alright?”_

_Natasha glanced at her partner from the corner of her eye, since when did Maria ever ask anyone if they were alright during a sparring session? Natasha knew the girl was special, but she didn’t think Maria was_ that _attached, or at least show some resemblance of concern in front of someone else._

_Daisy quickly rolled onto her feet and put her hands up, ignoring her protesting ribs...and if Maria and Natasha saw her barely concealed wince—they didn’t let on. “I'm good. Lets start again.”_

_Natasha cocked a brow, and Maria looked suspiciously close to proud. “Tenacious. Good! Let's see how you fair against two opponents with an injured side, and an injured arm.”_

_Daisy wasn't surprised that Maria knew she was hurt, hell, she probably felt Daisy's ribs give way beneath her barefoot when it connected. “No surprise attacks this time?”_

_Natasha simply rolled her shoulders, and Maria charged at Daisy._

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That had been two weeks ago. That had also been the same day that Maria and Natasha deemed Daisy ready to head into S.H.I.E.L.D. Maria still hadn't told Natasha that Daisy was actually Cipher and she had no intentions of doing so, but she did have a trip to make to New York before she and Daisy got so busy with S.H.I.E.L.D.

Natasha had taken her own Quinjet to meet back with her own team. Daisy was in the Quinjet, sitting in the co-pilots seat patiently while Maria was locking down her home and double checking her security before walking up the ramp of her (now, thankfully) clean and sanitized Quinjet. The steel trap of a coffin now at the bottom of her lake.

She was going to miss her home, but the Deputy Director was eager to get back to work. Working from her home office wasn't cutting it anymore.

Maria eased into the pilots seat and closed the ramp, “Let me see you go through the pre-flight checklist and say everything out loud.”

“Aye aye Commander,” Daisy smirked, and did as she was told. She had become a little bit of a smart ass over the months. She wasn't sure if it was Natasha's influence, or just Daisy's personality peaking through from time to time. But it only came out around people she seemed to trust. Which was only two people out of a billion. Her and Natasha.

It wasn't right because Maria was aware that Daisy had at least two more people that deserved her trust as well.

She watched as Daisy went through the pre-flight checklist just how she showed her. She could see her lips moving, but Maria wasn't listening as she should've been. She was sitting next to a person, ten years younger than her—possess the skill and talent _better_ than a super soldier.

The Hand had really created someone special and Maria was just glad that she, hm, that S.H.I.E.L.D had gotten to her first.

When Daisy was done, she started up the engines and Maria buckled in her harness wordlessly. “Set a course for New York.”

“New York? But I thought the Triskelion was in Washington D.C.?”

“It is,” Maria confirmed, “But there's someone I want you to meet first, two people actually.”

“Who?”

“In your past life...you had two people you called friends. Dinah Madani and Frank Castle. I know you'll never remember them but they remember you. In our line of work, Daisy, as you will soon find out. Most of us don't have friends or family outside of S.H.I.E.L.D., because S.H.I.E.L.D is all we are and all that we know.”

Daisy looked away from Maria, down at the control panels. She's heard the stories from Natasha—she read the S.H.I.E.L.D books and she's seen Maria at her coldest during training. She knew how mean Maria could be, but the woman had been nothing but caring towards her (tough as fuck—enough that Daisy thought about knocking her out a time or two). Maria did a lot to make sure Daisy got the best training S.H.I.E.L.D could offer her and she was _still_ doing right by Daisy.

Even when training was over. When she didn't have to.

“So this is what it feels like to have an S.O that gives a shit.” she murmured, repeating Natasha's words when she had told her a story about her own training Officer.

Maria glanced at her, but she didn't say anything. She wasn't sure what to say to that.

Daisy looked at the Deputy Director again, “I won't let you down.”

“I know. I trained you not to.”

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Of course nothing could ever work out the way Maria ever wanted them too. The moment she put them back online when they hit stateside air, Fury called them in straight to Washington D.C. With a mission ready for Daisy. It was time sensitive, and they didn't have time time to stop in New York. Not today at least.

Daisy was understanding, because she had no idea the opportunity she was missing.

They were at the Triskelion in three hours and it had taken her a little while to feel comfortable in her tactical suit again. But Maria couldn't lie to herself. It was good to be back at her home away from home after months of being absent. Agents in the hangar saluted her, welcomed her back politely but didn't dare waste her time by asking anymore questions.

Agents inside of the building welcomed her back just the same, and moving out of her way as she moved through the halls towards the conference room where Fury was waiting.

But one thing that Maria noticed with a touch of pride behind her cold emotionless mask, that all eyes were drawn to the quiet woman next to her. Daisy kept her eyes forward, not even bothering to look around the building but that was because she had seen the schematics of the Triskelion when she hacked in a few days ago.

Despite the denim jeans, sneakers and the t-shirt—Daisy carried herself like an elite Agent with years of experience. But she didn't have the experience, just the years worth of training and tricks—but Maria knew it wouldn't be long before she had the experience and baggage under her belt. It was the way S.H.I.E.L.D worked.

They both heard the whispers around them, Agents talking among themselves trying to figure out who Daisy was and why she was with their Commander. Some were curious, others were envious. Maria was aware that Daisy could probably hear things better than she could. But she was keeping a tight lid of things if she was bothered or overwhelmed by anything.

Maria opened the conference room door, allowing Daisy to walk in first before following and closing the door behind them. Nick Fury wasn't the only one present in the room, sitting at the table. Phil Coulson was there along with Melinda May.

Nick stood from his chair, coming around the table to greet them, “Commander Hill, welcome back.”

“Good to be back sir.” she answered nonchalantly, watching him carefully when he stopped in front of Daisy, staring down at her.

“You must be the one I hear they call The Black Sky.” Daisy didn't outwardly react to the name, “Welcome to S.H.I.E.L.D.” he held out a black wallet to Daisy and she took it cautiously, and opened it.

Maria looked down and nearly choked, “Level 7 operations? Sir?”

“Training with you and Romanoff, and living to tell the story 5 months later? She deserves the promotion.” he leaned in to avoid being overheard by the other two Agents in the room, “Besides, if Cipher is in my ranks. I wanna keep her close.”

Maria blinked, face still blank, “Sir?”

Nick chuckled quietly, “Her memory may not be worth a damn anymore, Hill. But her online signature is still the same. After that, I did the math. It was a good call, Commander.”

Behind them, Phil cleared his throat, “I hate to interrupt but what's going on and who is she?”

Nick stepped out of the way so that Phil and May could get a better look at the quiet young woman standing between himself and his second in command, “Agents, meet Agent Johnson. Codename; The Black Sky. Johnson, meet Agent Phil Coulson and Agent Melinda May. You'll be joining them in a field op overseas.”

“We've never heard of you before,” Phil said, making conversation as his two bosses and the mysterious Agent took their seats, “Were you undercover?”

“Classified.”

“Of course it is,” Phil smirked, “How long have you been with S.H.I.E.L.D Agent Johnson?”

“Classified.” Maria repeated, her tone suggested that Phil didn't push any further. Melinda didn't say anything, opting to just study the girl that kept close to their Commander. She looked too young, but there was something in her eyes that kept May from judging her too soon. The girl was young but she'd seen more trauma than May has in her entire career.

She carried herself well, like an Agent or an assassin. Her name wasn't classified but everything else about her clearly was. She was dangerous and May was willing to be that she was the reason Maria was gone for half a year.

She was willing to give the kid a chance though.

Nick pulled up the screen, and began debriefing them for their mission. “Two powered people recently escaped Russia and fled to Bahrain. S.H.I.E.L.D has been trying to track down these two women for a week now, but all we've gotten back was a trail of bodies.”

“What changed?” Melinda asked

“Local authorities actually doing their jobs,” Maria snorted at that, “In Manama, they were met with resistance just outside the main city. Authorities opening fire on each other.”

“Mind control?” Maria guessed, frowning at the homicide photos that popped up on the screen.

“Possibly. We won't know until we get a team down there. I'm sending Coulson, May and Johnson in and a small team of field Agents.”

“Who's running back end?” Daisy asked, finally speaking for the first time since stepping off the Quinjet and Nick gave Maria a sly look of approval.

“Agent Coulson.”

They ironed out a few more details of mission before Nick dismissed them, claiming he had another meeting. Maria took Daisy to the armory to get her fitted for a tactical suit and to allow her pick of weapons from the many standard S.H.I.E.L.D issued ones and the one's they've collected over the years.

It didn't surprise Maria one bit when she picked up two twin trench sabers, expertly twirling them and testing their weight. Neither Maria or Natasha taught Daisy anything about swords but she figured it was just another thing about The Black Sky they didn't know about.

“Take two guns too.” Maria instructed gesturing towards the handgun racks she was standing next to.

“I won't need them.”

Maria gave Daisy a look, a look that would have Agent's cowering and tripping over themselves, “It's better to have it and not need it; than to need it and not have one. Now, take two guns, Agent.”

Daisy grinned at Maria's frostiness, and the lower level Agents in the room thought she was going to die right there for sure but the Deputy Director just rolled her eyes and told her pain in the ass rookie to hurry up.

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All mistakes are my own.
> 
>  
> 
> C_S


	9. Bahrain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Semi graphic death of a child?...be warned? I'm sorry, spoiler. But I had to warn you cause...it's polite I guess.

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**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

A small team of Agents wearing their tactical field gear were already packed onto the Quinjet and were sitting comfortably along with Phil Coulson and Melinda May who were wearing their suits. Deputy Director Hill stepped onto the ramp first with Agent Johnson trailing behind her with a small desert brown assault backpack hanging off of one of her shoulder. And she was carrying two sheathed swords in her other hand.

She wasn't dressed like the rest of them. She didn't look like an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D at all. She was wearing a pair of black skinny jeans with a tear on the right knee, and a pair of low slip on white vans. And the long white shirt with _Queen_ printed on the front of it wasn't helping easing anyone's nerves about working with the mysterious Agent. She looked more like a rebellious teenager than an Agent.

Maria stopped next to Phil and May but Daisy kept walking towards the cockpit, nodding at Maria but she hardly paid May and Phil any mind. And Maria sighed, knowing that Daisy wasn't earning any brownie points with either of them but the mutual distrust went both ways and she hoped that it would change before they came back.

“What is she doing in the cockpit?” Melinda demanded, eyes trailing after the younger Agent.

“She's your pilot,”Maria raised her hands before either of them could protest, “It was Fury's call. May you can either ride shotgun or take it up with him. My plate is full already.” with that Maria turned around and left, and the moment she stepped off the ramp it began to close. She was worried about sending Daisy off on her own so soon, but there was only so much she could do. She and Natasha gave Daisy every tool and trick to survive out there—it was just a matter of how the young woman used them to her advantage.

Daisy had strict instructions to keep Maria informed of her personal status as well as the mission and to keep everything on a need to know basis.

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Daisy had them up in the air without much of an issue and they were well on their way to Bahrain. She could hear the soft chatter from the field Agents outside of the cockpit since she left the door wide open.

She could feel the tension from the older S.H.I.E.L.D Agent in the co-pilots seat. She knew the woman wasn't happy about being in the second chair but there was nothing Daisy could do about, or would care to. They all had a mission and Daisy had her orders, and she wasn't going to let Maria (or Natasha) down.

Daisy engaged the autopilot just as Agent Coulson entered the small space, and held onto the handrail above him. She paid neither of them any mind as she pulled her assault bag onto her lap, and pulled out the iPod Maria gifted to her. It contained a number of her favorite songs that she'd discovered while she was training.

“So,” Phil started smiling disarmingly, and that set Daisy on edge—more than she already was, “You and Commander Hill seem pretty close. How did you two meet?”

Daisy shrugged, “She kicked my ass. Instant friendship.” which wasn't exactly a lie, shortly after her rebirth—Daisy faintly remembered the moment, there had been a few fill in the blanks that Maria had to fill in. But she did remember Maria putting her on her ass. It hurt, but it didn't hurt like she knew it could've.

Phil nodded, sharing a look with May. They both knew that the girl was only telling them half of the truth, maybe even less than that. But she had given them a piece of information—she wasn't one of the normal S.H.I.E.L.D recruits that went through the academy, if she even went to the academy at all. Daisy didn't realize her slip until a minute later when Coulson voiced his next thought.

“Well, you're the youngest level 7 Agent I've ever met, and I've met a lot of Agents.” He joked with that smile of his again. Coulson was going for casual and friendly, and it was genuine Daisy could tell, but she wasn't going to fall for his 'welcome wagon' charm. Even if Maria hadn't warned her ahead of time, Daisy was positive she would've seen right through it anyway.

“You should save your energy, Agent Coulson,” Daisy suggested as she put in her headphones and got comfortable in the pilots seat and put on her aviators, “We'll be in Bahrain in a couple of hours.” she pressed play on her iPod, shutting both of the other level 7 Agents out.

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_Several hours later..._

Bahrain was dry, sandy and sweltering. Daisy stood off the side while Coulson and May talked to the local authorities as the team of field Agents went off to investigate the point of interest where the most hostile action was taking place.

Daisy wished she wasn't wearing her tactical uniform, all the black was soaking up way too much heat and it was making her feel disgustingly sticky. She would've rather been in her street clothing she found in the S.H.I.E.L.D closet. The twin trench sabers were clipped together as a single sword as was resting heavily on her back across her shoulder blades and the two guns that Maria practically ordered her to carry were weighing heavy on her waist.

But it was a good heavy, a comforting one she could admit.

Daisy was leaning back on a wall in an alley, carefully angled away from the sun but she was able to keep an eye on Coulson and May. Daisy sighed heavily and looked away—she knew that this was part of the trade. Her using her previous abilities as well as the new ones to assist S.H.I.E.L.D with missions like this—with other powered people who wanted to do more harm than good. But Daisy would've much rather been doing it with Maria. Not necessarily side by side, but she would've liked to have the woman close.

She figured it was all of that time they spent alone together during her training months but Daisy knew it was a little deeper than a friendly bond. She's been aware of it for a while, but Maria's never given any indication that she's felt the same so Daisy kept quiet and took what she could get.

Often, she wondered if it was simply because of who she was... _what_ she was. She wasn't lost on the fact that she wasn't human, far from it. She wasn't human in her past life, she was aware of that much but after her rebirth? Daisy knew she was something more. A demon was putting it politely.

Daisy had instincts that told her to kill. Kill to protect those of her choosing, to hunt, to survive. It was like it was programmed into her but it was there as a guideline, like a law—a bloodthirsty suggestion. That was what she, The Black Sky, was purposed to do, afterall.

The static in her ear broke her thoughts, making her wince—no matter how low she turned the volume down, the comms still hurt her ears. With her head tilted to the side, she was able to make out sounds of distress rather than try to make out the words that one of the men were trying to say. Ultimately it didn't matter, they were in trouble and without looking back at Coulson and May—who no doubt heard what Daisy heard—she took off down the alley.

She heard Coulson calling out to her but she ignored him.

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Daisy was going to talk to Maria about getting a lighter field uniform. The one she was wearing was too constricting in certain places and a little too heavy for her liking. She's tripped more than once as she lept across roof tops of short buildings on her way towards the other Agents in distress.

Daisy stepped onto a ledge and jumped, arms outstretched. She glanced down just before both of her gloved hands wrapped around a rather unstable street lamp—she saw May kick down the side door down on the ground before running in.

Daisy's crashed through the third story window, her momentum carrying her right into the wall leaving a small imprint but the moderate pain in her shoulder was the least of her worries. She shoved the muzzle of a rifle out of her face before the Agent pulled the trigger. She snatched the weapon out of his hands and hit him across the face with it and tossed the rifle out of the window without a care.

“What the fuck?”

Daisy didn't have time to worry about why a S.H.I.E.L.D Agent just tried to kill her as more of them popped up along with a few unknowns. Daisy stepped over the mans body. She could hear gunshots a few floors beneath them, but given that there were multiple she figured May didn't need the back up. These guys were professionals afterall—it only took one bullet to put someone down, right?

Daisy was doing her best not to kill any of the S.H.I.E.L.D Agents (she didn't think Maria would appreciate the paperwork), but the other unknown persons attacking her? Daisy knocked a few of them through the nearest windows. She could hear Coulson in her ear, telling her to be gentle—but he wasn't the one getting shot at. So Daisy ripped the irritating device and threw it out the window too.

Daisy rounded a corner, only to roll forward through another open door—one of the Agents had a shotgun and he clipped her side. Some of it hit her vest, and the rest of it was now embedded in her side. Daisy could hear his heavy footsteps and she quickly pulled her own gun (Maria had been right). Daisy shot both his knee caps out before getting to her feet and kicking him unconscious. Her wounds weren't life threatening but it would take a few hours to heal since they weren't superficial.

And it hurt like hell too. Daisy poked the holes in her side experimentally— _shit!_ Super tender meat. Got it.

MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU

Daisy made it to the lower level where May was—the gunshots had stopped a while ago, and five minutes later she knew why. She peered around the door as a blonde woman kicked a worn but still strong May dead center of her chest and halfway across the room. There were more men in the room, none of them armed but still under mind control of some sort.

Daisy could admire the older womans strength and quick thinking.

“Feel enough pain yet?” May held up the broken lamp post, panting heavily, “Let everyone go, and this can end.”

The tall blonde advanced on May, Daisy could tell that she wasn't going to give in so easily—or at all, and she knew that May knew it as well. Daisy saw someone or something move in the far corner of the room. It was faint but it was worth checking out. She glanced back at May and the unknown woman before turning away to go around. As she neared the second entrance to the room, Daisy drew her trench sword from her back and used a few crates to slighter through the narrow window. She dropped down as light as she could with the heavy boots she was wearing and stayed hidden.

She felt something deep in her gut, telling her that she wasn't the only dark soul lurking around in the room and it wasn't the woman May was putting down on the other side of the room. Daisy didn't like to think of her demon nature, in fact she often tried to shut that part out all of the time, but there were times like this—she appreciated it.

There was a third door a few feet away, and it opened the moment the blonde woman hit the floor, eyes cold and empty. May looked up at the three men who entered the room with a groan, “Goddamn it! She's dead, snap out of it!” May was struggling to get to her feet but as long as those men remained where they were, Daisy did as well. Still searching for that dark energy.

“There's so much pain, now that you've killed mother.” Daisy and May's eyes snapped to the...to the eight year old girl that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, “You killed her and now there's so much pain,” she whispered sorrowfully, her eyebrows pulled forward

May's face crumbled but she held it together, determined not to take another life, “I'm so sorry, sweetheart, but we can help you! You—”

The girl waved her hand to the side and the men fell to the ground, dead, and Daisy's eyes narrowed as May stared in horror—her hopes of bringing in this little girl dwindling as she edged closer to the Agent who was scooting further and further away. Daisy readjusted her grip on her sword, lips pressed tightly.

“Please stop this,” May growled, her back hitting the crates and from her side—the S.H.I.E.L.D Agents came stumbling in almost as if they were zombies and May knew what was going happen. She knew it wasn't going to stop until she either took the girls hand or— _ **“NO!”**_

Daisy landed in a crouch in front of May protectively and thrust it behind her without looking. Everything went still for a split second, May's scream echoing through the room as Daisy felt a hand touch her neck and she fought back her shiver.

She looked away from May's wide, anguished gaze and to the gaze of the dying girl on her blade. Even in death, the girl was still trying to cause others pain as she drowned in her own. Daisy could read the confusion in her eyes, and she pivoted around onto her knees and withdrew her sword as painlessly as she could. She caught the child and laid her down on the ground as she passed realms.

“What did you do?” Melinda whispered hoarsely, practically throwing herself over the little girl and checking for a pulse, “What the hell did you just do?!”

Daisy picked up her sword, and got to her feet, still looking down at them unaware of that her grayish blue eyes were a shade or two lambent. She didn't have an answer so she just walked away. Daisy already felt sick to her stomach and it had nothing to do with the three holes in her side. She snapped her blade clean, the splatter on the floor louder than it should've been.

MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU

They were ordered to stay ground until the field team was evaluated and they were under quarantine for 48 hours. Daisy was leaning against the hood of a S.H.I.E.L.D vehicle, watching the scene play out in front of her. She could feel the blood running down her leg now and it was really starting to hurt now that her body was in the process of trying to heal itself around the shotgun shells.

She watched as Agent May was loaded into an ambulance with a stint around her leg. She could see May staring at her from the distance. It was a hard stare, cold and detached. Daisy turned away...she didn't need someone else's judgment on top of her own. Coulson followed May's look and his face crumbled in realization, as if he had somehow forgotten that May wasn't the only one in the building. He said something to the paramedics and jogged over and Daisy had half a mind to walk away because she didn't need his fucking pity but before she could make up her mind, Coulson was already standing in front of her.

“Are you okay?”

“As far as stupid questions go...” Daisy deadpanned, rolling her eyes, “I'm fine.”

“Yeah, I...It's been tough, but you did good in there, Agent Johnson.” He reached out to touch her arm, but Daisy moved just out of his reach.

“Was there something you needed? Agent May's leg isn't gonna wait forever.”

Coulson cleared his throat, taking no offense to Daisy's testy attitude, like May the girl probably went through hell too—more so if what May told him was true, “Those of us who aren't going to be quarantined are being put up in a hotel 10 miles into the city, but I think you should ride to the hospital too. To get checked out.”

“I'm fine.” Daisy repeated, teeth clenched tightly as she crossed her arms, “I'll find my own way after I contact Maria— _Commander Hill.”_ she corrected a second too late and Coulson, damn him, caught it and smiled softly.

“She's on her way if it's any consolation.” he turned and jogged back to the ambulance and Daisy watched it drive off into the night.

“Agent Johnson?” Daisy turned and saw a man in black fatigues who looked just as tired as she did, “Would you like a ride to the hotel?”

“Yeah...thanks,” Daisy nodded quietly and picked up her bag from the ground with some effort.

MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU

It was a couple of hours later when Daisy found herself on the fourth floor of a semi luxurious hotel laying in the middle of the bed naked as the day she was born (and reborn) with all of the lights out. The city lights were the only illumination but it wasn't bothersome to the body ache she was suffering through. The bathroom was a bloody mess and the bathtub was still full of water.

Cold red stained water with three shotgun shells on the tub floor. Daisy knew she'd have to clean it later but she was so tired from having to reopen her semi-closed wounds and having to dig around in her stomach herself. It hurt like hell, and all the hotel room had was aspirin.

She could feel her body throb painfully, matching the beat of her heart.

Daisy was being lulled into a sort of sleep that hurt that one got used to, but before she could succumb to it fully her room door was being opened. She lazily raised her gun (Maria was always right) but immediately dropped it when she _smelled_ her before she saw her.

Maria let the door close behind her softly, and knew better than to turn on the light. She knew how sensitive and grouchy Daisy's entire _existence_ could be when she was badly hurt and healing. She could faintly smell the blood coming from the bathroom and she would take care of that later.

“What took you so long?” Daisy croaked, her throat dry and itchy.

Maria carefully sat on the edge of the bed, brushing a strand of hair from Daisy's softening features, “I went to see Melinda and Phil at the hospital,” Daisy grunted, “I needed their statements...and I'm going to need yours soon.”

“Mkay.”

“But that can wait,” Maria murmured, eyes traveling low until she reached the reddened area on Daisy's side, just beneath her stab wounds and sighed heavily. She gently touched the area around the closing wounds, and Daisy's muscles twitched, “You did really well out there, Daisy.”

Daisy grunted again, shifting closer instead away from Maria's curious fingers, “I feel like shit, and I'm pretty sure May hates me for what I did.”

“It doesn't matter.” Maria said firmly, “You had a job to do and you did it. And considering that this was your first field mission, you did well Daisy.”

Daisy opened her eyes and looked at Maria, seeing her even in the darkness but she didn't say anything for a while. She closed her eyes again, satisfied with the honesty Maria was presenting to her, “How long are you stayin'?”

“ _We_ are leaving in 24 hours when you're all healed up.” Maria finally removed her hand when she realized that it was just resting on Daisy's toned stomach, a little lower than what would be considered polite—but she wasn't sure how polite she could be when Daisy was naked.

“New assignment?”

“New assignment.” Maria confirmed, rising from her seat, “Are you up for it?”

“Yeah, sure whatever...” Daisy was starting to fall asleep again and Maria took off her suit jacket and rolled up her sleeves. She wasn't exactly tired, she slept on the flight to Bahrain. Once she was sure Daisy was passed out, Maria flipped on the bathroom light and sighed.

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All mistakes are my own.
> 
> C_S


	10. S.T.A.K.E.

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

Daisy rolled over slowly away from the sun that was trying to burn her face off with it's unwanted rays of sunshine. The smell of bleach hit her nose and it burned a little so Daisy pressed her face further into the pillow. She felt the bed dipping next to her and groaned, knowing that it was just Maria and the smell of bleach got stronger.

Thankfully, Maria waited until Daisy opened her eyes and looked up at her sleepily, “I would've cleaned the bathroom...”

Maria's eyebrow arched slightly, “A simple thank you would be nice.”

Daisy chuckled, eyes drifting closed again, “Thanks Maria...I owe you breakfast.”

“You do, and I'm cashing in.” Maria rose from the bed, “You have ten minutes to get dressed and meet me down in the lobby. It's going to be a busy day so get a move on, Daisy.”

Daisy knew that tone, it was Maria's 'I don't want your bullshit today' voice and she knew she was in for a long day when the door to the room shut loudly behind the brunette. Daisy rubbed her eyes and climbed out of the bed—not wanting to be directly on the other end of Maria's ire. Daisy felt the skin around her freshly healed wounds pulled tightly but it didn't hurt thankfully.

She went to her bag that was on the desk and pulled out the civilian clothes she was wearing from the day before, noticing that her tactical gear was gone and figured Maria had them burned or something.

Daisy was down in the lobby with a minute to spare and Maria checked her watch, nodding impressively, “You're getting better with your time.”

Daisy smirked, adjusting the strap over her shoulder, “Well, I wouldn't want to piss off my favorite human so early in the morning.”

Maria rolled her eyes, “Hardly early, it's almost noon. I let you sleep in, so now we're working on my time. Come on, we're having brunch in the hotels restaurant it's complimentary.”

Daisy followed after the woman, sunglasses still firmly in place to keep the sun out of her eyes. Both S.H.I.E.L.D Agents packed their plates full of eggs, bacon, waffles and whatever else Daisy could fit on her plate without dropping it as she carried a glass of orange juice. She and Maria are quietly eating their food sitting across from each other.

“You said I had a new assignment; what is it?” Daisy finally asked when she's gotten her fill of food, “Will it be like this one?”

“Later,” Maria paused momentarily, not wanting to discuss sensitive information in a public unsecured place so she diverted their conversation for the time being, “I went to see Agent May this morning...her leg isn't too badly damaged but she's going to need bed rest for the next two weeks.”

Daisy nodded, she wasn't sure if she quite liked the Agent—especially after last nights hate glares she received from the older woman. But Maria seemed fond of her so she kept her wittier remarks to herself, “How is she overall?”

Maria seemed grateful for the question, and Daisy realized that Maria was better at reading her than she initially thought, “She'll...recover, but she won't be the same.”

“Understandable.”

“And you?”

“Me?”

“She wasn't the only one in that building...Daisy...you—how are you feeling?”

Daisy shrugged, shoving her last piece of bacon in her mouth. What the hell kind of question was that? She didn't know, and she didn't even know the answer. “I don't know.”

Maria blinked, setting her glass of orange juice down slowly. She knows from personal experience that digging through Daisy's emotions was a trying and sometimes daunting experience given what she was. She knew Daisy was _capable_ of emotions, but...getting her to express them properly was like watching a machine become sentient. Alarming, fascinating and completely out of Maria's field of expertise.

“You don't know?”

“No, I don't know.” Daisy pushed her plate away, wanting more food but she didn't feel like getting up, “I... _feel_ as if I should be sad, and I think...I think to some degree that I do?” she took off her glasses, eyes narrowed but she wanted Maria to see her eyes, so that their conversation didn't have any barriers between them, “But I saved people? So why should I feel sad about saving people?”

“You shouldn't,” Maria said, carefully picking her words, “But perhaps you feel sad—”

“Remorseful.” Daisy butted in, “I like that word better. I don't wanna sound sappy.”

…“ _Remorseful—_ because there was a child involved. And Daisy, it's perfectly fine feeling that way. You did what you had to do to ensure the safety of your team. What happened to the child was not your fault.”

“I killed her.”

Maria sighed heavily, “She would've killed Agent May and many others if you hadn't.”

“Why is May's life more valuable than hers? Or mine, or those other Agents? I don't know them, and I don't want to. Maybe if it was Natasha...or...you, I wouldn't be so fucking torn about this!”

Maria looked down at her hand, the hand Daisy's was now covering—and it was then when Maria realized how much sharper Daisy's nails had gotten and darker, as if they were painted black but it was too natural to be mistaken as nail polish. _Interesting._ But those interesting nails were starting to dig into her skin.

“ _Daisy!”_

She snapped out it quickly, recognizing that tone and she could feel how tense Maria was. Daisy eventually sat back in her seat, exhaling lightly and she was quiet for a moment, “I'm sorry. That was...um,”

“Anger, and confusion. That happens when you're sad...I'm sorry, _remorseful._ It's okay, Daisy...we all go through it.”

“We?” Daisy scoffed, provoked, “You mean humans. I was never apart of that category.”

“Don't do that, Daisy—”

“Do what? Let's be real here, Commander. I was born a weapon, reborn a weapon and I'm being used as one now. This is my life.” her sunglasses were already back in place, and she was collected her backpack, “We should probably get a move on...still have to debrief me, remember?”

Maria watched Daisy leave the hotel restaurant warily before getting up to follow her out. It was definitely going to be a long day, and the Deputy Director couldn't for the life of her figure out why she felt so bothered when Daisy called her Commander instead of Maria.

MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU

“Agent May asked if you'd stop by the hospital before we departed...would you be up for that?” Maria asked, breaking the uncomfortable silence. Maria knew it was ridiculous and she felt even more ridiculous for feeling this way—but she didn't like being at odds with Daisy. In their short amount of time together, it honestly felt like _years_ instead of months. Maria knew she was sitting in dangerous territory, but that tiny voice that sounded a lot like Fury's was faint in the corner of her mind.

“No,” Daisy shrugged, “Not really.”

“Can I ask why?” Maria knew that Melinda wanted to make amends about how she acted towards Daisy the day before and while she made no promises, she had hoped that Daisy would _at least_ hear her out.

Daisy looked at Maria, her eyes looking brighter every time Maria has the opportunity to see them, “I would rather just forget about the entire thing. So the quicker we can get out of this shithole, the better. Please.”

“Alright, that's fair enough. Maybe another time?”

 _Or not._ “Yeah. Maybe.” Daisy turned her gaze back out towards the city they were driving through as she reached over and took Maria's hand, pressing both of her thumbs against her pulse point gently. Listening to the rhythmic beat. It was so off key to her own slower one.

The rest of the ride to the airfield wasn't uncomfortable anymore. When they arrived, Daisy was pleasantly surprised to find that there wasn't a Quinjet waiting for them but a bigger, fatter, more advanced aircraft.

“That thing is massive.”

Maria smirked, “Yep. It's a prototype but it's S.H.I.E.L.D.'s new Airborne Mobile Command Center. It has everything any S.H.I.E.L.D. Field Agent or Scientist could ask for—with a few surprises here and there.” Maria drove up the ramp and parked the SUV next to another offroad S.H.I.E.L.D vehicle. She cut the engine but held fast onto Daisy's wrists before the younger woman could get out.

“This is a heads up, this is a team deal—Fury is putting you and a other enhanced Agents on a team to deal with special cases, so play nice, alright?”

Daisy gave her a toothy grin that was all knives and grenades, “Anything for you, dear.”

Maria groaned as she got out of the vehicle as well. The others were waiting in the lobby, talking among themselves before settling down when Maria and Daisy walked into the room. Daisy spotted Natasha and nodded in acknowledgment in the redhead's direction before she sat at the bar alone, and a distance away from the others.

Daisy noticed that the blonde sitting next to Natasha was staring intently at her, and she looked oddly familiar to Daisy—she felt as she should have some significance in her life, her past life, but those memories were long gone. But she could shake the feeling that she knew this woman and this woman knew her.

Maria, unaware of the staring contest between two of her Agent's, turned on the big monitor and pressed the call button on her phone. It only took Fury a few seconds to answer the call, and he immediately had everyone's attention. His eye swept the room quickly to make sure that everyone was there (but of course this was Maria's command strike team—they'd better be dead to miss any meeting she called).

“Good you're all here. I'm sure you're all wondering why I pulled you from your previous teams and undercover assignments...well, that's easy. There's somethin' bigger and badder out there than terrorists making hydrogen bombs and trying to sink California every other damn week.”

“Like what?” the man with the short blonde hair with the bow sitting at his feet scoffed, as if he was wasting his time here instead of doing whatever it was he was doing before.

“Powered people who wanna do more harm than good. That's what, Barton. I've handpicked you all based on your abilities, training and over all get the shit done quota. Now, over the past year and a half years more and more of these mutants and Inhumans alike have been popping up all over the goddamn place.”

The man with the mask grunted heavily, “Isn't that more of the X-Men's area? I mean, what, are we gonna start doin' their fucking jobs for them now?”

“Exactly right, Rumlow.” Nick cut his eye to everyone sitting in the lobby, “Each of you brings a lot to the table—something special, something no other person in this world can do. _Can be._ ” he glanced at Daisy when he said that and it didn't go unnoticed by anyone, “Combine that shit together?...” he trailed off, needing not to say more on that train of thought, “As of now, Agents...you are are apart of S.H.I.E.L.D's new sub-organization S.T.A.K.E.”

“I'm sorry...what?”

“Special Threat Assessment for Known Extranormalities.” Maria supplied.

Director Fury nodded, “Deputy Director Hill will oversee this operations and she will continue your debrief. And remember, Agents, until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on. Good luck.” the screen went dark and Maria was immediately standing in front of it.

“Like all assignments—this one is going to be hard. Harder than any other mission any of you have ever been on because we're going in blind, deaf and mute. It also goes without saying that this is beyond classified. This is now our Vegas.”

“What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” one of the Agents said, Daisy didn't recognize him but he seemed friendly enough, tall and heavily built.

“Precisely. This plane, S.H.I.E.L.D. 616 or The Bus, is going to be our home for the foreseeable future. So I suggest that we get along...”

“Everyone here knows everyone,” Agent Barton then pointed in Daisy's direction, “Except her. Who's the kid, Hill? If we're doing this I'm not baby sitting some teenager wearing a Queen shirt.” Natasha hit his leg none too gently, but it went ignored, “What? I'm just sayin' what we're all thinking.”

Daisy chuckled from her spot at the bar, leaning back on her elbows, “That's saying a lot since you don't strike me as much of a thinker. Especially one that can think for other people, Agent Barton.”

“That's Agent Daisy Johnson, codename The Black Sky. She packs a punch Clint, so I wouldn't fuck with her too much.”

Natasha leaned over the back of the sofa, “Good seeing you again, Dee.”

“Likewise, Red.”

“Wait—Nat you know that smart ass?!” Clint all but yelled, looking at his partner wide eyed.

“Yep. We go way back, don't we Hill?”

Maria rolled her eyes, and looked at Bobbi who was still looking at Daisy too intensely for her liking, “Morse, you and Wilson wanna get us up in the air soon? Morse? Agent Morse!”

Bobbi snapped out of and turned to Maria furiously, “...do you know what she is?” everyone in the room stopped and looked at Bobbi, and Maria was only half aware of Daisy getting up and coming to stand next to her—more than likely ready for a fight.

Maria blinked, _fuck,_ “I'm not sure what you mean, Agent. But before you clarify, might I remind you to check your tone before I check it for you.”

Bobbi looked between her and Daisy, shaking your head, “You're out of your mind if you think I'm gonna work with that demon from hell.”

“You're on thin ice, Agent Morse.”

“Whoa, whoa,” Clint cut in, scooting forward in his seat as Natasha and Maria exchanged looks, “The kid is annoying already but you don't have to go that far, Morse.”

“What do you mean by demon?” Agent Rumlow spoke up for the second time that afternoon, he had felt that something was off with the Agent the moment she entered the room. It was alarming but he didn't feel as if he were in immediate danger around her.

“Wait,” Agent Wilson said softly, “The Black Sky, I read about that online somewhere; that does mean demon doesn't it? Maybe it's just a name and not literal, Bobbi—”

“I am a demon.” Daisy stated, and Maria nearly popped her neck when she turned around so fast to look at Daisy, “I'm not human, I just look like one.. But I mean none of you any harm.”

“How do we know that?” Sam asked warily

“I can vouch for her,” Maria stated, “She's been living with me for quite a while. If she wanted me dead, I've no doubt I would be by now.”

“Same here, plus the kid can really cook.” Natasha added, winking at Daisy and completely ignoring Clint's flabbergasted expression.

Sam looked between the three women before standing, and held out his hand to Daisy, “Well, if they trust you that's good enough for me. Sam Wilson, aka The Falcon.”

Daisy look a little nervous but she shook his hand firmly, “Thank you, for giving me a chance.”

Sam just shrugged, “Us powered people gotta stick together right, human, demon or whatever.” he looked at Maria, “Wheels up in 5, Commander.”

Morse had enough to sense to follow after him, but the man in the mask, Rumlow more or less growled in her direction, “If ya got a problem with demons girl, you should know that I'm the devil.” Daisy immediately decided that she liked him.

MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU

Maria was up in her office, sorting out a few dossiers for their first mission that she'd be debriefing them on after dinner. They'd been flying for a couple of hours now, on their way to Mississippi to investigate the deaths of three men and a woman. Normally that would be left to the local authorities...if it weren't for the fact that those people seemed to have had the life force sucked out of them and were in coma's before they died.

There was a knock on her office door and she looked up to find Bobbi standing there. Maria closed her laptop and gestured for the blonde to enter. She watched quietly as Bobbi shut the door behind her before sitting on the sofa.

“About my earlier outburst—I need to apologize.”

Maria shook her head, “I'm not the one you need to be apologizing to.”

“I...I know, but I can't help but see her in her last seconds when I look at her. I don't know if I can stay on this assignment.”

Maria studied Bobbi critically, she greatly respected the Agent. She was a legend in the field and she was vital to the team, that's why Nick pulled her for this mission. None of them were expendable, and Maria was in charge to keep them in line, because she was the only one who could, “You don't have a choice, Agent Morse. I get where you're coming from, I do.”

“Do you really?You weren't there!” Bobbi snapped but caught herself a second too late.

“No, but I was there _after_ and I continued to be there, and I'm still here.” Maria pointed out, “Whatever guilty hang ups you're having, figure it out Agent Morse because we're all going to need you at your best on and off the field. There is no room for guilt on this plane.”

“That's easier said than done” Bobbi responded dryly, not liking what she was hearing but she knew that Maria was right, “I just...how can I look at her knowing what I know? And how the hell hasn't she attacked me for it yet?”

Maria sighed softly, hoping that she remembered to pack her Advil, “Because she doesn't remember you. Or anything else for that matter.”

Bobbi blinked, shocked, “Are you...serious? Are you sure?”

“Yes,” Maria nodded solemnly, “I've told her a few things, such as her being Cipher and an Inhuman in her past life—but she couldn't recall anything during a two hour interrogation.”

“So she's...she's like a clean slate?”

“Not exactly...”

“Is it procedural or declarative we're dealing with?”

“100 percent procedural.” Maria reassured her, and she could see the tension in Bobbi's shoulders sag a bit, “You know...this could be a clean slate for you too, Bobbi...you just have to let the guilt go. Just talk to her...you'll see for yourself...and try not to be an asshole this time. You offended Rumlow and the last thing any of us need is him setting half the plane on fire at 45 thousand feet.”

Bobbi nodded, knowing a dismissal when she heard one, “I'm not apologizing to him.” Bobbi despised the man and that would never change. His past was just as checkered as all of theirs but he's always rubbed Bobbi the wrong way and she could never bring herself to trust him much less like him as others seemed to do so easily.

“It'd probably piss him off even more if you did,” Maria smirked, opening her laptop once more as Bobbi made her exit from her office and thankfully closing the door after her. Maria was just getting back into the grove of her work when her cell phone rang and she sighed again, frustrated. She picked it up without checking the caller ID, “Hill.”

“ _You're a hard woman to track down, Commander.”_

Maria stopped what she was doing and checked her phone screen, the number was blocked but the location read New York, “How did you get this number, Madani?”

“ _It doesn't matter, Agent Hill. Just know that I have it.”_

“What do you want?” Maria was stalling, she knew exactly the lengths Dinah Madani had to go through to get her number—and it wasn't for a social call either.

“ _You know damn well why I'm calling! I've been trying to get a hold of you for months Commander. So don't fuck with me right now...I...I just need to know one thing.”_

Maria leaned back in her chair, “I'm listening.”

“ _Is she dead?”_

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We haven't seen the last of Melinda May don't worry, she'll be back. Also, I didn't wanna write all of the characters getting along and liking each other off the back. I like exploring character development so expect some turbulence here and there.
> 
> Also, Maria and Daisy's relationship is not mother/daughter like at all. They have a bond that goes beyond friendship. It's...like touch and go for them. Anyway...
> 
> All mistakes are my own.
> 
> C_S


	11. Aces High

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

It was close to midnight (central time) when Maria stepped out of her office. After that particularly taxing conversation she had with Dinah Madani, she knew that she had some loose ends to tie up. Quietly, and sooner rather than later it would seem. She was hoping that she could put it off until the team earned a little leave time after a few missions or so, but Madani was going to become an issue if she let it fester for too much longer.

Unfortunately, It was going to have wait until they finished this current investigation. Maria wasn't surprised to find the lobby area empty with most of the lights off already. She made her way around the furniture easily towards the kitchen and found Daisy sitting there at the counter with a cup of tea in front of her along with a book.

“How's your side?”

Daisy yawned behind her hand as she closed her book, “Better, how's your head?”

Maria pulled out the lunch meat and other ingredients for her turkey sandwich from the pantry and the refrigerator, “It will be fine once I have something to eat. What are you reading?”

Daisy glanced down at the book briefly, “Something I found in my bunk...it's called _The Giver..._ it's kinda boring, but I don't have anything better to do.”

“You could always try sleeping. Hungry?”

Daisy shook her head, and finished off her tea, “I'm not that tired, plus...my sleeping quarters remind me of...well, it's too small.”

Maria nodded, unsurprised, she figured it would make Daisy uncomfortable but she didn't mention it. She wanted Daisy to bring it up to her. It was Maria's foolish way of easing herself out of the danger zone she was constantly finding herself in with this woman, but the next words out of her mouth made it all for nought.

“My office is equipped with a Master bedroom and a Queen sized bed.”

Daisy looked at the older woman curiously but guarded, “That's...nice?”

Maria hummed thoughtfully as she moved to put everything back where she found it, and the kitchen was quiet until she settled on the barstool next to Daisy's, “I wasn't saying that to brag, Daisy. I know how you are with tight spaces...you don't have to sleep in there every night, but when you need time to heal in peace...or feeling drowsy, you're more than welcome into my bed.”

Maria didn't catch on to how those words sounded until they were out of her mouth and Daisy was looking at her playfully, “Gee, Commander, if I didn't know any better—”

“Whatever you're going to say, don't. Let me eat in peace.”

Daisy laughed softly but raised her hands in surrender but didn't say a word. Instead she opened her book again, and the two were sitting at the kitchen counter in complete silence. It was so peaceful that Natasha curved her own craving for a midnight snack and went back into her personal quarters.

MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU

They landed in Mississippi without much of an issue. Maria tasked Bobbi and Sam to go speak with the families of the deceased since they were two friendliest faces on the team and were least likely to be insensitive during time of grievances.

The rest of the S.T.A.K.E operation members were being sent out into the city of Meridian, Mississippi in nearby areas such as the girls high school and local teen hang out spots to see where she might have run off too.

Maria paired them off, of course Natasha and Clint and well, her less stable pair—Daisy and Brock Rumlow. She wasn't exactly sure how well those two would get along but for the time being she didn't have too much of a choice but to put them together. They had seemed friendly enough this morning so Maria took the risk as if she had any other choice in the matter.

Someone had to run back end and that someone was her.

MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU

Daisy and Brock were blending in well, more so Daisy than him—he was dressed functional and though no weapons were visible on his person, Daisy knew he had at least two guns on him just in case. Brock was wearing a baseball cap to was low enough to cover the upper half of his face, and the collar of his jacket was popped up to cover the rest.

One would have to be really close to see the burns on his face and neck. It was obvious that he underwent tremendous surgery to get it all fixed but the human tissue could only be repaired so much after heavy traumatic damage.

The pair walked quietly side by side until they came across a bar—they had both been admiring the two red and white Ducati Diavel bikes sitting in front.

Brock looked down at his partner for the day with a grin that would get them both in trouble, if Daisy wasn't sporting an equally mischievous smirk.

“We're meant to 'blend in', ain't we?” he asked as he started across the street with Daisy in tow, “Havin' a few drinks can't hurt anyone.”

When Daisy and Brock walked in, no one really paid them any mind. Brock made a beeline for the bar, but Daisy lingered a little until she spotted a pair of motorcycle helmets that matched the bikes sitting outside. They didn't strike her too much as bikers, just rich kids playing tough with money that probably wasn't theirs. She met Brock over by the bar and took the offered beer but didn't drink it.

“The two by the darts across the room.”

Brock nodded, looking up briefly towards the mirror behind the alcohol shelf behind the bar—he had pegged them the moment he walked in. “Ya know how to play darts?”

Daisy smirked, “No. But I do have excellent hand-eye coordination. I'm assuming that we don't know each other then?”

“Look as innocent as possible.” Brock chuckled and took another gulp of his beer. He pushed himself away from the bar and made his way over to the duo playing darts while Daisy remained at the bar, taking off her sunglasses and ordering a tray of wings and wedges.

MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU

_A couple of hours later..._

Everyone was gathered in the lobby again because being in the communications room was a little too crowded. Well _almost_ everyone. Daisy and Brock hadn't returned to The Bus yet and Maria refused to let herself worry for Daisy _or_ the trouble those two could've gotten up to. She had Clint monitoring the local police scanners regardless.

“Marie's parents haven't seen or heard from their daughter in two days...but they didn't seem overly distraught over it,” Bobbi frowned, “They pretty much gave us free reign to her room but it was just...there was really nothing there.”

Sam shrugged, unfortunately agree with his partner, “Yeah, if she caught a plane or bus—she might've paid with cash. We're hunting for a ghost trail at this point.”

Natasha held up a stub as she came back into the room, “Not quite. Clint and I visited the airport and train stop and hacked into their security feed. Caught a glimpse of the girl but not much else.” she handed the stub to Maria as she plopped down on the sofa with her feet on the table, “She used a fake I.D, but the time stamp matches the video of her being at the train station.”

“Alberta, Canada...” Maria sighed heavily, “Shit, that's in the X-Men's backyard. Alright, wheels up in 10 and—” she was cut off by an obnoxiously loud noise coming from her cargo bay and she knew it had to be her two Agents that had been missing all damn day. She pressed a button on the tablet in her hands and brought up the cargo bay security camera and spotted Daisy and Brock securing two Ducati's near the two S.H.I.E.L.D vehicles.

“Well,” Clint grinned as he walked back into the room twirling an arrow, “At least they were productive today.”

Maria turned to the two when they walked in the lobby, specifically at Daisy who raised her hands slightly, “We found a lead.”

Brock grunted as he took a seat as the bar, placing his helmet down heavily on the counter top as Daisy sidled up right next to Maria, almost a little too closely to be deemed appropriate considering they were in work mode, “Yeah, Daisy can get anyone talkin' if she wanted to. And a couple of beers.”

“She skipped the boarder, the girl went to Alberta, Canada two days ago by train—”

Bobbi rolled her eyes, “We already know that. Maybe if you two weren't pussyfooting around, you'd know this.”

“Morse.” Maria eyed the Agent warning, apparently Bobbi wasn't over her hang ups as she had hoped.

Daisy ignored Bobbi, thankfully, “The two idiots we hustled? They're the ones who made the fake I.D.'s she's using and the name she's going by isn't Samantha Kyle.”

“Hm. Yeah, girl needed somethin' legit to get across the border—new name is Rogue.”

“Rogue?” Sam questioned, “Huh, sounds more like a mutant name more than anything.”

Daisy nodded, “She's getting another set of Identification papers in Alberta at an off the map place called the Snakehole. She's meeting another person there in less than 10 hours.”

“Wheels up in 5 then,” Bobbi sighed and left the room ignoring Daisy's curious stare and Brock and Natasha's mild glares. “ETA 3 hours.”

“Good job out there everyone, let's hope we don't find trouble when we get there. Dismissed.”

Daisy wanted to follow after Maria, to talk to her but she held herself back because she wanted to talk to Natasha first about something she was unsure about and didn't want to worry Maria since she knew that her friend had a lot on her plate already.

So Daisy followed Natasha down towards the cargo bay where the training facility was (it really was a magnificent plane). The Black Widow was aware that she had company but since it was company she didn't mind, she didn't say anything until they were inside of the gym that held the standard weight racks, twin treadmills and a bike and an entire section for sparring sessions.

Natasha waited until the door hissed shut before addressing her young friend, “Is something bothering you, Daisy?” from their time spent together, Natasha knew as well as Maria how fickle Daisy's moods could be—almost like a child's but not quite on that caliber. “You and Rumlow did good today. The best Agents always think outside of the box and usually get better luck and results.”

Daisy leaned against the glass wall near the treadmills, watching Natasha stretch, “Agent Morse doesn't seem to think so.”

“It takes Bobbi a while to warm up to new people,” it wasn't exactly a lie, but it wasn't the complete truth either because in reality, Natasha didn't yet know why Bobbi was being so cold towards Daisy. As far as she was concerned the two have never met and Maria was keeping mum about it. There was a story there, but Natasha didn't know it and she was positive Daisy didn't either.

“Since when did you care about what other people thought of you, Dee?”

“I don't.”

Natasha hummed thoughtfully, completing her stretches and jumping up on the treadmill, “You sure? You seem awfully bothered by this.”

Daisy just shrugged, “Maybe I am a little bit.”

“Wanna tell me why?”

“Not really...it's not important anymore.”

Natasha stopped the treadmill and jumped off and caught the brunette before she could leave the gym, “You followed me all the way down here for a reason, don't bullshit me. What's going on in that mind of yours?”

Daisy sighed heavily, arms falling down to her sides, eyes downcast, “I think...I...” a gentle hand curled around her jaw and lifted her eyes to Natasha's, “I think Bobbi is from my old life...”

“And how do you figure that?”

“This. It tingles weirdly when I'm around her and it's uncomfortable.”

Natasha eyes drifted down slowly when Daisy raised her tank top just below her breasts revealing the three stab wounds that she's never seen before because Daisy had them covered during her training one way or the other. Natasha couldn't tear her eyes away. She's seen all sort of wounds but none that still looked angry and fresh after all this time.

“You think that Bobbi did this to you?”

Daisy shook her head, “No, I just think that she has something to do with it.”

Natasha was quiet for a few beats, her free hand reaching out to touch Daisy's skin. Wincing slightly when it was icy cold to the touch, like a corpse but the rest of her was warmer. A little too warm. Natasha's other hand moved to the glass behind them but before more could be said the gym doors opened and Daisy dropped her shirt. But Natasha's hand was still tucked underneath it and Brock grinned lecherously at them. _That sonofabitch._

“Oh? We ain't interruptin' anything are we?”

_We?_

Both Natasha and Daisy looked behind him and saw icy blue eyes honed in on them over Brock's shoulder and Natasha pulled away from Daisy as quickly as she could without being overly obvious about it but no one in the gym was fooled.

Maria waited until Brock went towards the weights but not before turning his rock music, it was loud but not loud enough that they couldn't talk among themselves. Maria moved towards her two Agents, arms crossed. She was squashing that green eyed fury bubbling up in her stomach and kept her masquerade of calm and collected firmly in place.

“Something I need to know?”

Natasha glanced at Daisy but the shorter of the three quietly shook her head and squeezed between them and made a quick escape from the gym. Natasha and Maria tracked her until she was out of sight completely and locked gazes.

“You should keep her away from Bobbi before it becomes a problem.” Natasha commented casually, finally breaking the silence between them but she was holding steadfast in their staring contest. Both women were stubborn as bulls, and wouldn't yield so easily.

“Is that right?”

“Yes.”

The muscles in Maria's jaw twitched as she hummed in agreement, “Anything else I should know, Agent Romanoff?”

Natasha tilted her head to the side, a slow smirk gracing her beautiful features and Brock slowly stopped lifting his weights as he watched the women across the room, hoping for fight...and at the same time, not.

“I don't think that's a question you need answered.”

If looks could kill, Natasha was positive she'd be plummeting to her death right about now as she turned and got back on the treadmill. She carefully watched as Maria went to the punching bag, and wrapped her hands before going in on the bag. The Black Widow winked in Brock's direction who shook his head and turned up the music.

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The ending of this chapter was not something I planned, but shit...hey. Lol.
> 
> Thank you guys for your kind comments and kudos. Also if you follow any of my DC stories, don't worry so much. I'm working on those chapters tomorrow, might have one or two finished up by nightfall since I don't have much to do tomorrow but watch TV. Thankfully.
> 
> All mistakes are my own as always.
> 
> C_S


	12. First Blood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own any of these Marvel characters.
> 
> R.I.P. Stan Lee. Bro, thank you for giving us childhoods and an awesome universe comic and universe wise.

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

_**Alberta, Canada...Snakehole...** _

Five miles away, Maria Hill was standing in the command center on The Bus with Sam and Bobbi on standby for backup in case Natasha, Daisy, Clint and Brock needed it. It didn't take them long to arrive and it took even less time for her four agents to look the part of the trashy bar that Marie, ahem, Rogue was going to be very soon give or take how she was traveling there.

So far all that was coming back on the comms were drunken men attempting to hit on Natasha and Daisy, irrelevant chatter and cheers and hollers from the illegal boxing matches in a bird cage near the rear of the bar and it seemed that one man was their reigning champion, a man named Logan. Maria had more on her mind that tagging a Mutant that got his rocks off beating up humans for money in a hole in the wall bar in the middle of nowhere.

After her unexpected call with Dinah Madani, Maria had some decisions in the future to make and she wasn't sure if the Homeland Agent would wait too long for Maria to stop being vague and tell the truth. The woman was smart and Maria briefly wondered why S.H.I.E.L.D didn't pick the woman up beforehand.

At the far, dark and dank corner table...Daisy sighed heavily and shifted around in her chair to get comfortable again, her long coat was a little hot but she was wearing her new tactical suit underneath it and didn't have a choice but to keep it on. She was pleasantly surprised when Maria gave it to her courtesy of S.H.I.E.L.D of course, but it was nice and all white pants, jacket, belt, gloves and even her calve high boots and an optional headpiece.

Daisy made eye contact with Natasha who was sitting pretty near the middle of the bar in a short dress that was fit for a truck stop while Brock sat at the bar pretending to be a half awake drunk (or at least that's what they hoped) and Clint well...Clint was being Clint and making bets with the crowd around the bird cage.

“ _Maybe she's not gonna show up,”_ Brock whispered gruffly over the comms and Daisy looked over to see that he was slumped over on the bar 'asleep', _“She's bout an hour late and I'm ready to get the fuck outta this dump.”_

Maria sighed heavily, _“Fine. Rumlow and Johnson, get out of there, check the perimeter two miles up north then report back to The Bus.”_

Daisy didn't say anything, she just finished the last of her beer and left the bar without drawing too much attention too herself if any at all and jumped into the passengers seat of the Jeep and a few minutes later she and Brock were off. There were a good mile out when they came across something out of the ordinary in an empty field, Brock didn't sense it but Daisy did. She got rid of her black long coat into the backseat and pulled on her mask, and Brock just snorted.

“Ya look like a fuckin' ninja...if it was anybody else, I'd say you look batshit...but it suits ya.”

Daisy smirked behind her mask, like the rest of the suit, it was tight but she'd get used to it eventually. Daisy retrieved her twin sabers from the backseat as she exited the vehicle. Brock put on his own mask, and they were no longer Brock and Daisy but Crossbones and The Black Sky. Both Agents set out away from their vehicle and deeper into the forest, keeping radio silent.

Their peace was interrupted when Crossbones ran into something headfirst and exceptionally hard, and it was made of metal because his helm was scratched and was sporting a little dent. Daisy ignored his swearing and looked a little more closely at what 'wasn't' in front of them, tentatively reaching out and felt something hard there.

“Cloaking...” she mumbled and Brock just cursed again, louder this time. Daisy reached up to her comms but all they got back was static, but before she could even address the issue of being out of range from the rest of their team, something happened just beyond the trees and it sounded a lot like a car accident, followed by an explosion.

MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU

_Maria was going to kill them. Revive them. Then kill them again._

That was all that was going through the four Agent's minds as they were going up against Storm and Cyclops, an odd combination but they were doing a good job of holding off the four S.T.A.K.E. Agents and Daisy had just dug herself out of a shallow grave that Cyclops put her in with a shot to her chest and Daisy knew that there wasn't a real way for any of them to get through the X-Men and to the girl, even Clint's arrows held no merit against the unnaturally strong winds and it was messing with their comms.

Daisy knew that they were losing this fight and embarrassingly fast, but they needed to assess that girl and see how dangerous she was. She was powerful enough to suck the life force out of people and eventually kill them—but S.H.I.E.L.D needed to know where she was mentally before they could decide where to put her. And it looked as if the X-Men had the same idea, but Daisy wasn't apart of the X-Men.

Daisy snatched off her white gloves as she crouched down onto one knee and dug her hands passed the snow, and partially into the half frozen soil and closed her eyes. Natasha saw watch she was doing before she hastily dove to the ground and Clint and Brock felt the trembling before they heard the ground beneath them cracking and both men dove off of the forming fault line that was heading straight for the two X-Men.

Cyclops didn't have much of a chance, but Storm took to the skies and sent a bolt towards the small S.H.I.E.L.D Agent, but Daisy felt the electrical energy coming at her fast and she quickly raised one hand from the ground and deflected it, and she would've tried to send it back to it's source if she hadn't been so caught off guard.

Natasha pushed herself from the ground, as well as Brock and Clint, “Quake doesn't have much time! Get the girl and get back to the truck!” the name just slipped out of her mouth before she could really process the thought but with what Daisy could do and what she was doing, it just made perfect sense and was less offensive than Demon or calling her the thing she was murdered to be.

Brock swore loudly over the howling wind, the tops of his knees nearly hitting his chest as he made his way to his partner, not sure what he could do, but he wasn't going to let her fend for herself. When Brock was close enough, he raised both of his arms and began firing everything he had at Storm. He didn't expect to actually hit her, just act as a distraction.

Clint covered the downed Cyclops and the unknown unconscious man while Natasha grabbed Marie, and she wasn't aware at the time—but Natasha's gloves saved her life. She quickly ushered the powered person towards the road where their SUV was waiting and Clint followed after.

Brock turned towards Daisy, “We gotta get outta here!”

Daisy grunted, rolling away from another lightening bolt, “We can't move with Storm in the air!”

“Leave it to me,” Brock reached into his belt pockets and tossed multiple colored smoke bombs around them, but they weren't going to last with the wind and he nearly picked Daisy up and ran for the trees and out of Storm's immediate line of vision. Behind them, they heard a tree fall over but there was no pursuit and Brock thanked their lucky stars. They weren't equipped to go toe to toe with the Omega level Mutant.

MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU

Once Bobbi and Sam had them forty thousand feet up in the air and cloaked from any satellite or radar with Maria secure in the interrogation room and they were well on their way to the HUB did Maria allow herself to be pissed. And Bobbi and Sam had enough self preservation to stay in the cockpit and out of the lobby but they were listening in.

“I specifically told you four _not_ to engage the X-Men! I specifically told you to be _discreet_ and I _specifically_ told _you_ three,” Maria stopped pacing and glared down at Brock, Natasha and Clint, “No lethal weapons!” Maria pinched the bridge of her nose when Daisy snickered from her spot at the bar, “You are on thin ice.”

Was all the Deputy Director said before she went up to her office to warn Nick Fury of the potential shit storm that would be coming his way from the X-Men, there was a good chance that neither Storm or Cyclops recognized Natasha and Clint—but their mind readers, Xavier and Jean would. And _that_ was bad.

“So,” Daisy looked at Natasha once Brock and Clint scurried off to their private quarters, “Quake?”

Natasha shrugged, turning so that she had one leg tucked beneath her and one arm resting on the spine of the sofa she was sitting on, “Made sense at the time...don't like it?”

“I like it before than Demon, so thanks for that,” Daisy slid off the bar stool and headed towards the stairs but stopped and turned back to the redhead when she heard her name being called, “Yeah?”

“You did good out there, Daisy.”

Daisy watched the Black Widow slink off around the corner before continuing up to Maria's office and quietly slipped into the office just as Maria hung up the phone and sighed loudly, “I'm sorry.”

Maria shook her head, opening her eyes and meeting Daisy's dark gaze, her own demeanor softening when she saw the genuine contriteness in the younger woman's body language and rose from behind her desk to sit on the edge, “What happened out there?”

Daisy moved towards the sofa and laid down on it ungracefully, bouncing a little and began to recount every little detail that she could remember from the time they landed in Canada. And Maria had to force her to listen to Daisy instead of examine her physical attributes like a creep and there was one thing Maria knew for certain, from the moment Daisy was reborn—she was compromised.

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

**MCU :: MARVEL UNIVERSE :: MCU**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All mistakes are my own. Chapter is kinda short but hey a chapter is a chapter.
> 
> C_S

**Author's Note:**

> Back at it again. Just having a bit of fun. All mistakes are my own.
> 
> C_S


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